


James Buchanan Barnes Is My Personal Trainer...

by jdoozi



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Darcy is the fandom bicycle and I love it, F/M, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Steve Rogers is done with your shit, Steve has a foul mouth, Virginity, WinterShock - Freeform, smut with purpose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-03-21 12:44:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3692802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jdoozi/pseuds/jdoozi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're late." He taps the index finger of his flesh hand onto the wrist of his metal arm as if anyone even wore watches anymore. He lifts a brow as she casually saunters her way across one of the numerous, fully equipped Stark Industries employee gyms. His face signalling he is waiting for an explanation, knowing full well she already has an excuse ready to go. She always did.</p><p>"I know." She says as she pops her lips around a bright red lollipop as she pulls it out of her mouth. "I can totally explain. I needed to get this." She holds up her candy as if it offered any reason as to why she never managed to make their planned training sessions on time.</p><p>"A sucker?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Are Friends For?

"You're late." He taps the index finger his of flesh hand onto the wrist of his metal arm as if anyone even wore watches anymore. He lifts a brow as she casually saunters her way across one of the numerous, fully equipped Stark Industries employee gyms. His face signalling he is waiting for an explanation, knowing full well she already has an excuse ready to go. She always did.

"I know." She says as she pops her lips around a bright red lollipop as she pulls it out of her mouth. "I can totally explain. I needed to get this." She holds up her candy as if it offered any reason as to why she never managed to make their planned training sessions on time.

"A sucker?" 

"Yeah. See, I had read somewhere that chewing gum during workouts helps keep you hydrated or some crap. Then I went searching through my desk drawer and no luck. So I remember Jane always keeps candy in the lab for those much needed sugar boost. Soooo I made my way alllll the way up to R&D. Only she didn't have any bubble gum BUT I did find mini Blow Pops. WHICH! Eventually have bubble gum to offer. So bada-bing-bada-boom! I picked that." She smiled at her own ingenious logic. 

His face remains impassive. He was trying to process her rationale but he knew it best not to reveal any of his cards to Darcy Lewis or he risked finding himself in an asinine debate... like the one he was close to being drawn into now.

"I brought you one." She says around the lolly that had made its way back into her mouth. She offers both a wrapped treat and puppy dogs eyes as the only form of an apology he is going to get from her. 

He quirks a lip and steps to her. He first reaches for the outstretched offering and palms it before reaching for the other. He removes the sweet from her mouth and pops into his own. "Stretch." He commands her and nods to the mats.

Never one to back down, she reaches for his water bottle in his hand not holding the unopened candy and bring it to her lips. She never breaks eye contact as she takes a long pull. After she has her fill, she uses the back of her hand to wipe her lips. She smiles sickeningly sweet as she hands the bottle back to him.

"Lewis." He sighs while shaking his head as he walks to put his towel and a now half gone water down. His takes the sweet from his mouth and tosses it into the nearest trash bin and it goes in with amazing finesse.

"What?" She says defiantly as she moves into a bent calf stretch.

His back to her as he eases into his own set of stretches. "Let me ask you and please answer honestly, though we know you will, why did you ask me to train you? You so obviously hate it. Why am I being bestowed the amazing misfortune of listening to you sulk your way through our hour and a half, three times a week?" He was still peeved at her tardiness but he was beginning to soften. Truth was he liked meeting her for workouts. He considered Darcy Lewis to be the very first friend he made since attempting 'rediscovering himself' after being liberated from Hydra's clutches. She didn't cower from him or who he had been. In fact she damn near spit in the face of the idea that there was ever anything to fear. She sassed him, called him on his bull and never hid what she was thinking. It was refreshing. Where even Steve still occasionally tiptoed around him, Darcy put down a heal and lovingly smushed. He and the dame could match wits all afternoon and neither would back down until it was time to call it a draw. He had a soft spot for the little brat.

"Hmm. Okay, my thought process for picking you? Well, first I asked myself, 'out of all the Superheros I happen to know personally, who has the best butt?'" He swung his head quickly over his shoulder and sure enough she was shamelessly checking out his rear. She met his eyes and shrugged as she continued "...but Natasha is always away on these super crazy long missions. Then I knew if Coulson found out out why I wanted to get fit, I would get a very stern and unwarranted Dad-type lecture from him. So here we are Barnes, my good man. Here we are." She drops to the mat to continue on with floor stretches.

"Third?! I am the third best ass you know?" He makes his way closer to her.

"Third best that I know _personally_. I don't know any Xmen." She shrugs again and pulls her legs into a crisscrossed seated position. She spends a great deal of their time in the gym sorta lounging and drawing him into conversation than actually working up any sort of sweat.

"Hey Darcy!" Some all too eager blonde Stark employee waves at Darcy from across the floor. Not a total gym rat type guy but obviously someone who is no stranger to the free weight section he was currently enroute to. Bucky actually growls back towards his direction.

"Be nice." Darcy scolds in a whisper before she returns the greeting. "Hey there, Brad." Bucky is quick to pick up on the sudden octave raise of her voice and slight pink to her cheeks as she waves back. 

'Really, Darce? This chump?' He thinks as he obeys her command to play nice. The guy is carrying on across the room anyways. He turns back to Darcy who now twirling the ends of some of her long, soft waves between her fingers and watching the other man's retreat. Bucky can't help but roll his eyes. "So your reason then, Darce?" He breaks her trance.

"Hmm?" She asks.

"Your reason for working out? _Apparently_ , Coulson arguably came before me with a better rump but you said he wouldn't approve of the reason. So what's the reason?" He was glad to have her attention again.

"Oh! I am going to have sex." She offers it as matter of fact.

He is taken back but only momentarily stammers in his return. "Uh... oh... Well Godspeed to ya." He cheers a weak fist into the air. He is quiet for a moment before he continues. "Wow Lewis. You must be into some kinky shit if you need the stamina boost of working out just to apply it to the bedroom." He points out a chin and nods in agreement to his own statement. He's kinda impressed, actually.

"No you perv! I am not doing this to have sex. I am doing this to _have sex_. Like as in the _first time_." She furrows her brow and jaunts her face to him. As surprised as he is by this revelation he doesn't stammer at all on this return.

"You're a virgin... _You're a virgin_?!" It comes out as soon as it is processed.

"Keep it down, huh?" She pops her head around for a quick scan of anyone who may have heard him. "Were you this covert when you were off being a super assassin? Kinda hard to believe you made such a name for yourself." Her retaliation is letting him know he should breach the subject with a gentle ease... Unfortunately for Darcy, that is not really his style.

"Sorry. It's just that... How is that possible? I mean, Darcy. You... Look at you, Doll. You got a body made for sin, ya know that? I seen a lot of smart men do dumb things to be able to pull up a seat next to women like you. How? I mean HOW is that even possible?" He gives her a lingering and appraising once over. He is surprised at how easy his Brooklyn accent floated back in when he addressed her just then. It almost felt like something, someone, inside was trying to make it to the surface. "I mean really. How?"

She sighs into a third shrug. "I don't know really, Okay? I mean, it wasn't easy getting use to filling out _all of this_ in high school." She runs and open, flat palm the length of her body and back up. "So letting any boy get pass a quick feel under my shirt was out. Then college, the boys just kinda sucked. Then there was New Mexico. Jane kinda got the only good one, when he fell from the sky. I was left locals or jacked booted thugs... Although if given a time machine, I probably would have let curiosity win over competitiveness in a game of strip poker with Clint this one night. However, I wasn't really raised to throw a good hand. So I don't think that would really be how I would want to remember it anyways. Then there was, I don't know, AN ALIEN INVASION that changed EVERYTHING. It brought me here, to New York with Jane. Turned into a promising job with SHIELD as a junior Agent until a 90-something-year-old-Solider-being-used-as-a -weapon-of-mass-destruction at the hand of Hydra showed up. With that whole mess SHIELD fell. I managed to maybe, just maybe, use a little nepotism to land a pretty good position at Stark Industries but it was still a life adjustment. So here I am. Darcy Lewis. Totes Virgin."

"Wait. Are you saying this is my fault?" He was mentioned in there somewhere, right?

"Ugh. Of course you would pick up on only that! Barnes, what am I going to do with you?!" She lays back on the floor and brings her legs out so her feet our planted on the floor and knees bent. She covers her face with her hands and shakes her head from side to side before lowering her hands to the mat and continuing. "And you're not suppose to care! Remember?! Doesn't 70 years of intense brainwashing trump the trauma of being a reluctant 24 year old virgin? That is part of why I picked you!" She stops. " No, Barnes. This is not your fault. This is mine. I need to approach this with gusto. I need to go out and get laid! Surely, you can understand?" She rolls her head to the side to get a direct line of sight.

"Doll, more than you know." He gives a slight purse to his lips and joins her on the floor. He makes a move to continue their since forgotten warm ups by twisting into stretches. "More than you know." He says again.

"Nooooo? Barnes? Are you saying, you haven't gone out and found a warm body since officially coming out of occasional deep freeze for good? You are way worse than me!" She has shot up, eyes trained on him.

"How am I worse? I have at least had sex. Sure, not anytime recently, not by a long shot, but I have." Counting out the actual amount of decades would have been depressing.

"Exactly! You know what you're doing! All you would have to do is hop back on that bike. I've got to learn to peddle still. Training wheels! All that stuff. You! You just got to dust yourself off!" Darcy was becoming more and more an encouraging cheerleader by the end of her rant. 

"It's ain't that simple, Hun." It was his turn to shrug.

"Oh no? Have you seen YOURSELF? Ever since you chopped of that Hobo Chic hair you were working with and got all 'oh yeah, I was born with smoldering good looks and one of those unbelievably hot butt chins!'. You have totally had the women around the halls swooning. Some of the fellas too." She winks at him.

"Well I am glad you seem to think all of this as just a physical attraction thing. We will be coming back to all of that by the way." He points at her, cementing the place holder pin he was putting in the subject.  "However, there is the small, but oh so huge, elephant waiting to sit right in the middle of anything I start up. 'Hi Doll, James Barnes, reformed super assassin. I've got an untold number of kills under my belt. If you can get past my metal limb, I would like to spend some time with you in a dark room. We'll pray I don't have some horrific flashback the second you take your top off. Sound like a date?' Not exactly the kinda game I am told I normally use to work with." He gives her a sincere face. He knows its true. He's not playing the victim. Those are just the facts.

Darcy doesn't see it that way. Her face a wears her disapproval at his outlook. 

"What?" He asks. Sometimes being pinned by her glare was worse than her snark. He was beginning to feel self-conscious. He raises his brow as is to non-verbally ask again.

"I am having a hard time knowing whether to pity or pummel you right now, Barnes. You can't keep thinking like that okay? I care about you too much to let be so melancholy. Give yourself some credit every once and a while, huh? Also, please do not make me go off on my whole 'the arm is actually totally hot' tangent again. Once was enough and at least I could blame tequila shots for that one." Her glare unwavering. He has the need to break the tension.

"Aww, Doll. You care about me. I knew you were a sweet on me." He teases.

"Shut up Barnes. I actually hate you." She starts stretching again. He laughs to himself.

"So this working out thing? What? You think you gotta change or something?" The thought of her not thinking she was good enough for anybody bugged him, he would have a hard time holding back on anyone who said she was anything short of fucking unbelievable.

"No. I knooooow I got it going on. Thank you very much!" She attempts over-the-top sass. While he is relieved to hear she knows the truth, he couldn't help but raise a brow at her act. "Okay. I know I got that whole "real women have curves" vibe but I don't know. I hang around people who use their body as weapons every. single. day. Even those stuck behind the desk are ready to take down and invading army at any given minute. Take Agent Jenner for example. Well former Agent, with SHIELD debunked but anywho..." She nods towards the back wall of the enormous space. Bucky shrugs as if to ask who the hell Agent Jenner was. "Brad? The guy you just got in predatory mode for waving at me?" She points again and they both look. This causes Agent Jenner, Brad or whatever to look up at their directions. When he make eyes contact with Darcy, his head dips into a coy smile. Darcy blushes and does the same. Bucky thinks he is going to puke.

"What about him?" He asks, drawing her out of her hesitant flirtation.

"Well, Agent Jenner also spends his day with almost other worldly... Actually Thor is in fact "other worldly". So he quite literally spends his days with other worldly beautiful people. He is nothing short of golden Adonis himself. It makes it kinda hard for us regular ol' hot folks to stand out or rank high on the uber-hot scale. Case in point, I have been making eyes at the very man I am referring to for SIX. MONTHS. Six months, do you think he would be stalling this long if it were Natasha? No, because in here 'Tash is an 11. Where I am a 6 on my good days. It does something to your confidence, man. Let it be known, Darcy Elizabeth Lewis has never let anything knocked her confidence!" She stops herself right as her monologue starts to intensify. She visibly gathers herself and calmly continues with a smile. " So I am being proactive. This is all more of a 'if you build it, they will come... and then I will cum' type of things" She giggles at that. He loves how she was never afraid of letting such filthy things come outa that pretty mouth.

"You're a dime and you God damn know it, Lewis." Bucky actually felt anger at her for placing herself so low. "First off.That's a horrible comparison. Natalia has never waited for a damn thing in her life because she is fucking terrifying." Darcy does her face up in enlightened agreement. "Second. That blonde asshole looks like he just gets too stupid and silly every time you give him a bit of those blues of yours and he can't bring himself to be anything other than the chump I pegged him for when he walked in." He turns back to Darcy. "Maybe what you need is to be making eyes at real man." Bucky felt the need to turn and scowl at the punk for good measure. He looks back at Darcy again and her mouth is slightly agape. 'What just happened?' he asks himself.  "What?"

"Nothin'. I was just thinking something I probably shouldn't have been thinking." She shakes her head and is quiet for a moment. "Look, I'm done talking about this. Help me do that back of the leg stretch thing, would ya?" She lays flat on her back again with both knees bent. He makes a note to revisit this later. Seriously, he can't have her going around thinking even Helen of Troy had anything on her. He smirks to himself when he think of the obvious 'Oh yeah, old friend of your's?' joke she was going to make about his age.

He crawls in between both of her legs and lifts one so the back of her knees and part of her calf is resting on his shoulder. The rest of her leg straight in the air and he leans into her. She is giving a little moaning whimper every time he pushes into the stretch a little further. Other than that, they stay quiet. Bucky's head is starting to betray him when she make a surprisingly seductive noise while pinned under his pressure and he begins to think what she would sound like in other positions. She is the one to draw him out of the thought.

"Do you miss it?" She asks as they make a move to switch legs. He settles her up on his other shoulder before replying.

"Miss what?" His head was a bit cloudy.

"Sex. Do you, ya know, miss having it?" Her question is innocent and it makes Bucky even more at a loss of concentration between her open knees.

"You really wanna ask me this now?" He points at their positioning with his face and makes playfully salacious eyes at her.

"Pervert." She moves to swing an open palm at him and he pushes further into the stretch to subdue her. "Ahh! Right there! Oooh, push into it." God, this woman. Moaning under him like this and oblivious to any effect it might be having. He needs to keep up with the conversation and his mind outa the gutter.

"I don't know. I guess maybe. I don't know if I ever really got this whole soulful transcendence from it ever. I mean maybe I did and I just can't remember or I block out the good memories. I don't know, Darce. Maybe it was always 'just sex" with me?" He feels her begin to make a move to get out of the hold so he releases and she sits up. She faces him. They remain on the floor.

"Now that really is sad." She hugs him and releases to look at his face.

"Yeah. Whatever. At least I ain't a virgin." He shrugs and then moves quickly to avoid her swinging hands. Chuckling to himself as evades her enough she gives up chase. "It was too easy, Kid. You left yourself open." He chuckles into it again. "So with you being late and our little 'Girl Talk', our time here is almost up. How about a quick mile sprint on the treadmill and then hit the showers?" We'll double up next time. ON time!"

"Alright. Hit the showers. Gotcha." She nods.

"I said a mile and then shower." He presses.

"Right. Shower and a pastry. You got it, Coach!" By now they are both standing and he takes his retrieved towel to give her a quick snap on the behind with it as she walks away. She gives a skip as it connects and yelps. She collects herself and turns.

"Watch it, Barnes!" She threatens with a pointed finger but he can tell she is smiling once she turns again towards the locker room.

He can't help but watch her retreat. 

Once she has made it out of view, he finds the other sucker she brought with her. He unwraps it before putting it into his mouth and starts in on a hanging speed bag. He is mindful of the stick now hanging out of his mouth as he begins in on a steady but fast paced rhythm. He is hypnotized with each rhythmic thud. It serves as soothing background noise as he replays the last half hour with Darcy. The things that they both shared with each other. The level of trust it took. Something he didn't have when he first showed up to Stark Tower with Steve. He had come so far. He was sure Darcy was much to thank for it. 

Then as if the very thought of her summoned her out thin air Darcy was behind him. Though he remains uncharacteristically unaware.

"I think we should have sex." She spits out.

In a floundering move not at all expected by the man once know as the Winter Solider, he jumped. 

As he went to turn to her, he stepped right into the moving speed bag and it thudded against the top of his eye. If the Red Room could see him now. A picture of cat like reflexes. He puts his hand up to the throbbing. Darcy makes a move to inspect the damage done. Her hair is wet. She obviously made it as far as the showers before turning back around. Her hair smells strongly of the floral shampoo he has grown to love so much.

"What the hell are you taking about, Kid?!"

"Okay... I thought that was pretty obvious but I will go ahead and elaborate." He wasn't sure how his fumble gave the impression that anything about what she had shot out was clear. "You and I have an opportunity to help each other out here. You need to reacquaint yourself and get over that "hump". No pun attended." She waves a hand in the air and continues. "I need to dive in and get it over with. Quit making it this... _this thing_." Darcy was no longer Darcy. This was plotting and determined Darcy. He would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that this side of Darcy combined with the idea of getting tangled up in some sheets with her wasn't making him a little hard right where he stood. That didn't mean he was dumb enough to agree to it though. Darcy had no business being drawn into his fucked up doom and gloom. She's still looking at him. Waiting for something. He's not sure what to say when she softens and continues.

"Let me be honest with you. I wouldn't be suggesting this if I didn't trust you. If I didn't feel you could trust me. I feel like we could really lean on each other here. James Barnes, will you have sex with me?" She gives him those blue eyes. She accentuates them behind heavy batting of her lashes.

He's screwed.

"Okay." He is not sure when his brain told his mouth to agree. Though he just had. She is laughing loudly and moves to cover her mouth with her hand.

"Oh man! I didn't think you'd actually agree to it!" She laughs some more. Harder this time.

He instantly becomes indignant. "All right. You've had your fun. You done now?" He needed her be gone in order to sulk in the embarrassment she just caused.

"Aww, Barnes. Don't be like that." She takes a step forward and places a hand on his metal arm. The fact it makes no difference to her that its not his flesh arm warms him a bit. "I'm totally serious! I totally wanna rock that bod. I just thought I had my work cut out for me before I got you to agree. Nice to know you're a little horndog." She ruffles his hair. 

"Well never let it be said that Bucky Barnes ever turned away a pretty dame who was willing. I've got a reputation to uphold. " He gives her a shit eating grin paired with a leer and he is hoping it is all coming off as seductive.

"That's the spirit! How's Sunday night? I've got a thing all weekend but you could come over Sunday evening. I'll cook. Would you like to have dinner first?" She was on a roll.

"I don't require it." He's having trouble with words alright?

"Jesus Christ, Barnes! You don't require it? You're not the asset anymore. Live a little. Would you like to have some dinner before you see me naked?" There she goes again being unafraid to poke at his past. He is taking inventory of her face. He is certain he is seeing her in a whole new light. He can only nod back his agreement.

"Great. I'll make that thing you like. Ooh, or is that too heavy? How nimble can you be with a belly full of Chicken Parmesan, huh? Assuming one should be nimble for such activities? Should we maybe skip eating all together?" Bucky is getting his revenge for her earlier outburst by knowing she's actually a little nervous despite her calm and calculative outward persona.

He takes pity on her. "No, I love your Parmesan. You know that. I wouldn't miss it for the World." He might as well said he wouldn't miss the sex for the world but he fells it goes without saying. "Maybe just skip making dessert. I'll be bringing it anyways." Ugh, that was rough.

"Eww. Don't make me regret this." They both laugh and it lightens the mood considerably. She visibly looks more at ease. "Okay, Barnes. This will be good. What are friends for after all?" She is nodding along as if convincing herself. "7 o'clock at my place." She takes his lollipop out of his mouth. He was pretty sure he was just drooling around it anyways. She pops it into her's. She smiles wickedly at him. "And don't be late." She winks and starts towards the gym doors.

This time he is certain every swish of the hip was meant for him to watch walk away.


	2. Keep You Warm In The Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been 57 hours since he had agreed to meet Darcy. 57 hours of agonizing, gut wrenching torture as the comprehensions of what he had agreed to sunk in. He had considered cancelling. He had considered picking up and disappearing into the wind and living like the ghost he had been for the 70 years prior. What he actually chose to do was far more pathetic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was hard.  
> Look, I like smut as much as the next girl. That's not true, I think I am fully supportive of smut when it moves a story.
> 
> I found I had no desire to write it. I thought I would get to a point and "throbbing member" would come out of the screen and I would have to deliver a great big "NOPE" and burn my laptop. There was no way around it here. It had to happen. I have to say though, it gets to a point in this chapter where I don't think I did too bad for the first run out of the gate. 
> 
> Here it is. Without giving too much away, let me say just keep reading until the end. I'm not referring to the whole chapter.

It has been 57 hours since he had agreed to meet Darcy. 57 hours of agonizing, gut wrenching torture as the comprehensions of what he had agreed to sunk in. He had considered cancelling. He had considered picking up and disappearing into the wind and living like the ghost he had been for the 70 years prior. What he actually chose to do was far more pathetic.

At 6:25 pm on Sunday evening Bucky Barnes put on his leather jacket over his white tee and relaxed jeans. He exits the Tower and pops into the closest shop to buy Darcy flowers.

The flimsy Tulips make him feel like some sappy putz. They mock him on the ride back up to the residential floors of the Tower. Darcy doesn't live as high in the Tower as the floors reserved for the Avengers. She lives among the other Stark Industry employees who choose to live in the Tower at an offered discounted rent. She was, however, the only low level Stark Employee that had any access to the higher living quarters and communal space. It had started with her always being around with Thor. Bucky had been told everyone just kinda got so use to her that she started hanging around even when Thor was currently on the planet or not. She was like a Mascot. Everyone's touch stone of normalcy. She held game nights and made cookies. She offered hugs but knew when to keep her distance. She was playfully teased to which she gave as good as she got. If the Avengers as a whole could have a little sister. Darcy Lewis would be it.

He was about to deflower someone's little sister.

He fidgets in front of her door. He rubs a firm hand up over his cheek and across his forehead. He could still get out of this. He could tell her he couldn't, shouldn't. He was still wrestling with his thoughts and had yet to gather himself when the door swings open.

"Oh hey!" She stood there with a full plastic garbage bag in hand. She looks surprisingly at ease when she smiles at him. She wears her jeans and a maroon tank-top. Bare faced save for those long pointy lines he liked so much on her lids and that stuff on her lashes. Mascara! That was it. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. He likes her lips naked as much as he liked her usual red lipstick. He likes seeing how naturally full her mouth was. Those plump and inviting lips remained stretched over a smile but she hasn't said anything else. 

Bucky hastily presented the flowers between them. The stems bent and spilled over the tight grasped fist he had around them. He offers a hesitant eyes, almost as if he was asking if the Tulips were an acceptable offering.

"Oh. Tulips. Thanks Barnes. They're my favorite. Did you know that?" She's leading him into conversation. She obviously senses he could use the encouragement. Unfortunately he was beyond help. He just nods in response and lifts the pitiful bouquet once more in her direction. "Well thanks?" She steps forward to retrieve the bundle and give him a hug. Only with the full garbage and the handful of flowers it comes out as one of those side hugs with a brief squeeze. Awkwardness radiates off of it. "So I am going to go take the trash to the shoot. Why don't you go ahead and make yourself at home." She moves to allow him access to cross the threshold and make a sweeping gesture with the hand holding the bag.

He moves passed her and she carries on down the hall.

He closes the door and brings both hands up to his face. How the hell was he going to do this?! He couldn't even talk to _Darcy_. If that didn't show how rusty his skill set was, he didn't know what the rest of the night held. How was he suppose to go through with any of this? 

He takes in a deep breath and lowers his hands from his face. "Get it together, James." He says aloud to the empty apartment.

He looks at the table. There was a bottle of something fancy and Red. Bucky's lip pull up. Darcy always like to skim off of Tony's personal stash. Bucky was certain Stark knew and didn't care. He eyes the two wine glasses on the table and set the bottle down to remove his jacket and make use off himself by uncorking the wine and serving it up.

A slow wolf whistle comes from the door.

"For a man who missed the whole 'Rebel without a Cause' era, you totally know how to rock that whole Jame Dean in a t-shirt and jeans thing. Bravo." Darcy is back and leaning against the door jam. She adds an appreciative slow clap around the flowers in hand.

The ease at which the smile came to his face was a gift. She was being incredibly considerate of the fumbling idiot who has returned to the task of making sure they both had a glass of wine. She winks as she passes and makes her way into the kitchen, presumably to finish dinner. 

" 'Smells amazing in here." He says as he comes up behind her to hand her glass.

"Thank you." She says. " And thank you!" she says again as she turns and accepts the drink. "Cheers!"

She clinks her glass to his.

"Glad to see you're finally joining us here, Barnes. You should have met the fellow that was here a second a go. A mute with flowers." She jerks the top of her head towards the Tulips now resting on the counter. "Phew. What a piece of work."  Okay, maybe she wasn't being _that_ considerate. 

He gives her a challenging look, daring her to continue. She laughs.

"Will you get a vase for those from the cupboard next to the sink? Then get out of here a watch appreciatively from the other side of the breakfast counter till I get everything plated, alright?" It was apparent that she thought she was going to have a little fun at his discomfort. Bucky thought it best to level the playing field. He waits until she makes her way closer to the sink and he moves in. He crowds her space, leaving her nearly pinned between him and the counter. He looms over her so she is certain to feel his presence. She turns in the small space he has allowed between them. Before she makes eye contact she takes her time lingering over his chest, then his shoulders, his neck, his lips and finally his eyes. The very same eyes he currently had peering down at her. He moves them from her gaze to her lips. He leans in, pressing even further into her space. She braces herself. He could feel every muscle in her body tighten. Her eyes close. He brings up a hand and it hovers just slightly above the soft, sensitive skin of her jawline.... he moves the hand right past her head to the cabinet door behind her.

"This cupboard right here?" He asks in a normal, unaffected tone. 

Her eyes pop open and she takes inventory of the situation. She swallows then shakes her head as she clears her throat. A hand swiped across her forehead as she corrects him. "Uh no. That one." Bingo. It was thrilling to know he could still leave a Dame so wanting.

"Oh. Excuse me. Thanks." He grins to himself as he busies himself with locating the right storage. His pride holds as he goes about filling the vase and carrying the bouquet to breakfast bar to place them in the water.

Darcy and James tied 1-1.

He watches her finished up. The persistent blush on the back of her neck make him consider moving the score up to his favor but then the way she bends over to retrieve the bread from the oven leaves him feeling like he would have to add one more to her scoreboard while he was at it. 

It was only one full bottle of wine and an uncorked second before the they are seated next to each other at the round table. Darcy always had a thing about sitting right next to someone. She hated to feeling of having to keep constant eye contact. She said she likes to feel the conversation by being close. Must have something to it because despite the subtext of the dinner, conversation flowed as naturally as it ever did. The wine helped. Unlike Steve, Bucky's simulated serum let him feel buzzed but never fall down drunk. It was a small gift.

The dinner carried on and Bucky began in on a story he had recently remembered. Originally, he was told all the memories lost may never come back to him. As his rehabilitation progressed, the memories slowly began to trickle in. The good with the bad. Darcy always hung on to every word of every one, no matter how many times he told it. When you have very limited recollection, you have very few personal anecdote to offer. You kinda get stuck retelling the same handful time and time again. She listened as intently the fifth time as she did the first. Like now, her face comfortably slack from the wine. She has hooked her hand under his right arm and rest it palm flat on the inside of his flesh bicep. Her cheek resting on his shoulder. Looking up to his eyes when he punctuated certain parts with a change in his tone. He would look down and turn to meet her eye when she shifted. The soft light of the room laying across her face. He could catch glimpse of the faint blush, caused by the wine, on her exposed cheek. Her audience so sincere. She was letting him open up and share with no hidden agenda of waiting for him to go back to someone he had been. She was just fine with who he was.

It was the end of his story that her hair began to fall onto her face. Without thinking he reaches across with his metal arm and gently moved it for her. Her face still rests on his shoulder and she gives him a soft smile. He wonders, for the first time, what it would be like to kiss her for real. Not in this ridiculous scenario she's thought up. He wants to slip the fingers still behind her ear, down to her chin and kiss her. He wants to kiss her as intently as she listened to him talk.

Then an awkward loud slurping noise broke his daydream. "Ugh, I was totally drooling on you!" She sits up wiping a back of her hand to the side of her lips. She brings up her other hand to wipe clean a similar streak beginning to run down his arm. "Oops, sorry about that, Barnes. I was so comfortable there. Kinda happens sometimes." She shrugs and he takes her word for it. It seemed like a quirk she would have anyways. "Good thing it wasn't your other arm, huh? Wouldn't want a Tin Man situation going on." She elbows him.

"Well it's not like I didn't come here to exchange a little saliva, right?" Seriously Buck. Stop trying to be smooth.

"Oh. Right, huh?" She abruptly stands. She grabs both her plate and his to take them to the kitchen. 

Well look at that. Darcy Lewis is nervous. Not that he can blame her, only his fear is slowly being replaced by excitement.

He brings both elbows up to the table and both hands steeple over the lower half of his face. He is stilling himself. Preparing. He hears Darcy begin the water to fill the sink. He isn't sure if she planned to clean absolutely everything before they began or if she is stalling. He wills himself to summon the courage and find out. He stands and makes his way to the kitchen. He leans in the entryway to watch Darcy feverishly scrub into a plate. He takes some relief in how blatantly uneasy she is.

He watches her take out every bit of her anxious feeling on her glassware. His teasing survey of her discomfort turns into appraisal soon enough. With Darcy so seemingly intent on her task at the sink, he is given unbridled access to asses her back side. Of all things he remembers and doesn't remember about his past self, he is certain any Bucky would want to spend time with any women who looked as good from the back as she did the front. This Bucky is just the lucky fool who has had it offered up as his for the taking. It quickly ignites something predatory in him. The change in his demeanor is swift. He wants her. His skulk towards her wastes no time, nor leaves any doubt in his mind that he wants this.

He once again comes behind and crowds her space. Only this time, it is no tease. She turns with both dish and sponge in hand. Her breathing is heavy. He knows her thoughts were not on the dishes. "We've got to stop meeting like this, Barnes." She attempts a lighthearted joke at him. He says nothing. He removes everything she holds and sets them back into the sink. He pulls her over the side slightly, so he can bracket her between both of arms and extends them to grip the counter's edge.

It is in this position he leans in to kiss her. He is slow and lingering. He is taking in her scent, her breathing, the feel of her skimming against his arms. This seems like one of the most important memories he is going to get to call his own and he wants to savor making it. 

He is close enough now that all he would do it go that little distance and his lips would be touching hers. "Wait! Wait, wait, wait. Okay, just wait! Okay?" He takes a step back and quickly puts both hands in the air. Afraid he has maybe hurt her with not knowing or at the very least frightened her. He scans her. With both feet together she is bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet and shaking out her hands. She vocally breathes out a long breath and makes one of the "yoga noises" he has heard Bruce make. Next she is planted firmly on the ground and moving her neck side to side while rolling the corresponding shoulder up to meet it. Much like a Boxer getting pumped before a bout. "Okay. Now I am ready!" She says with a loud clap and a hand rub as she makes a move to get back into his personal space.

His hands still raised and he takes another step backwards and fends her off. "Oh no, Kid. Not until you tell me what the in the Hell that just was!" His head shaking side to side.

"I'm nervous, okay?! Look, I know I am all "super chill chick" about all of this but come on. Ever heard of 'fake it till ya make it?' Well I am trying to make it! Getting limber, feeling loose. Going for the go-"

"Darcy." He cuts her off. "Stop talking." She shut her lips and nods gratefully. Then quickly adds

"Thanks. I can't seem to not run my mouth when I get worked up. It's a curse, real-"

"Darcy, stop talking." Once more she stops and looks thankful. This time she even went as far as making a motion of "buttoning her lip" and tossing the key. Instead of pointing out that buttons don't need keys, Bucky closed the space between them. His lowered hands meet each of her hips and he pulls her into him. He didn't waste anytime connecting lips this time. Darcy hesitantly brought her hands up to brace herself against his chest. As the kissing began to soften into itself, she soften into him. That was until she started laughing, right onto his lips but not removing herself... He pulls back and rest his forehead on hers as she continues on. "Darcy-"

"I know! I know, okay! I am sorry. I told I was nervous! I was thinking ' _Hey, old Bucky boy ain't that bad of a kisser, ya know?!_ ' Then it was ' _Oh my Thor! I am kissing Bucky Barnes!_ '" He should be irritated and he is. However, hearing her use his familiar name does something to him and that sudden urge mixed with the need to quiet her once and for all is the prefect combination. 

With all of his natural grace, he swiftly moves her back so she is up against the fridge. She gives and "umph" as it connects but his lips are all over hers before she can think of something else to say. One hand remains on her hip and a the metal one begins to work its way into her hair, cupping the back of her head. He works at carving a niche for himself in her space. Almost pinning her under him. She matches his intensity and pulls tiny fistful of his shirt closer to her. The hand he currently has pressing the fingertips into her side slides down so it is laying across half of that beautiful ass. The connection causes Darcy to give one of those satisfied whimpers she gives in the gym and it invites him to give her a firmer grip. She whimpers again and this time it comes out with a moan. Her hands leave their pull and begin to explore him. Never staying in the same place long but tantalizing him as the get a "lay of the land".

Christ. Bucky has had some very non-gentleman thoughts about Darcy before, sure. Never actually how alive he would feel about being this close to her. How feeling the warmth of her under him would get him going so instinctively. Likewise, she was opening to his touch, so giving. For a girl who claimed to be so unsure of herself here, she seemed to be in total control of her desire.

In fact, she had been the one to silently break away. She courageously looked him in the eye and gave a triumphant smile before taking his hand and wordlessly leading him into her room. Once in the moderately sized space, only lit by a dim bedside lamp, she drops his hand to take a few more steps away from him and turns. She toes herself out of her slip on shoes. To which he followed suit with his boots. She gives a coy smile and accepts it as a game. She remained silent as both hands went for the bottom of her tank top and she liftes it over her head. His face passive as he discards his own shirt. A smirk worn on her face as she unbuttons her jeans, slides them her over her hips and down her legs. She continues to step out of them and kick them out of the way. A contented grin as he removes his jeans and caste them aside in a similar fashion. She is very much, every ounce the confident modern woman as she reached a single hand back and unclasped her bra. She pulls on the front and slowly guides the piece over shoulders and down her arms, letting it drop on the floor at her feet.

Now his nerves were back. Maybe it was the sight of Darcy Lewis standing with nothing on but small cotton underwear left him breathless. Nearly 100 years old and he was certain he could live 100 more and never be this close to a living masterpiece, ever again. She was Botticelli's Birth of Venus, only with a better rack... and thicker thighs... probably ass too but you get the point. He had never seen anything so beautiful.

She gives a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin. "I win." She purrs swaying slightly side to side.

"I don't even think there were established rules, Lewis. It's kinda hard to win at a made up game." Puffy for a guy standing in his briefs.

"I still win. You got distracted first." She shrugs.

He reaches out his real hand for her. She accepts it and lets him pull her to him. "If that qualifies you as winning Kid, then yes. You do. I have to say I have never been so pleased with losing before." He has her nearly pressed to him only far enough back so he can crane his head back and really look at her. She takes her free hand and runs it up his metal arm. Her finger slow near the shoulder and then go on to delicately run themselves over the scars where the prosthetic meets his flesh. She makes eye contact before she leans in and places a soft kiss to where her fingers just lingered. Then another kiss just next to that and one more just south. He can't remember anyone ever regarding the area with such tenderness. He brings her in for an earnest show of admiration. Minutes pass as he loses himself in her once more.  She is the first to speak and bring them back down.

"All right, time's a wastin! You gonna make a woman outa me or not?!" She claps her hands in "Chop, chop" beat.

"You got somewhere to be, Doll?" 

"Yeah. Over there." She nods to her bed and follows it with a sashays over to the foot. Her back to him as she bend slightly to remove the last remaining bit a clothing on her body. She turns and sit on the bed, and goes on with pulling herself back to the middle of the space. She pats the area next to her and awaits his move. He thought HYDRA played dirty with the mind control.

She gives an airy laugh as he makes his way up the bed. When her reaches her he gives her a kiss on the cheek. It's then another small crack in her armor appears, though he seems to be wearing a similar one. They sit next to each other on the bed, seemingly to take a minute to gather themselves. It us as if climbing onto the mattress has cemented what was to transpire. Not the necking in the kitchen. Not the naked game of chicken. This. This is what makes it the official mission at hand. He looks to her face, only to see that she is sneaking a glance at him too. They exchange the same hesitant smile Darcy had exchanged with the Agent in the gym. It feels so innocent. Like he could have been here for real in another life. Or maybe it's because Darcy, for all intense and purposes IS that innocent. Despite her foul mouth and dirty humor, of course. Bucky wraps an arm around her shoulders and gives her a reassuring squeeze. She gives him a smile that wears anxious gratitude. He feels the need to move to get her secure under the covers. They lay back with a pillow for each of them.

Tenderness gave way to passion once again. Soon Darcy was reaching for the drawer on her bedside table. She pulls out a box of rubbers. "Okay, so these are condoms. You wear them on your... ya know." She points between them to under the blankets.

"I know what condoms are Darcy. We had them back in my day too." He takes the box from her as he moves to his knees, still in between her legs. He opens the box.

"Sorry. I just know things were different back then and you're Catholic, so... Hey, do you think you're going to Hell? I mean for the premarital sex, not the condoms. Well the condoms too. Or maybe all the killing..." The ramble was back.

"Jesus! Darcy!" 

Sorry! Sorry, I know. I know! Super Sexy Time killer! I'm sorry." Her palms out in an apology. Her face turns sincere again. She looks down at him undoing the condom wrapper. "Here, do want me to help you put that on? I read the back of the box. There is this Reservoir Tip you gotta-"

"Thank you. No, I got it." Grumpy was quickly occupying the place of turned on.

"Okay but the Reservoir Tip-"

"Say Reservoir Tip one more time, Darcy..." He's pretty sure the look he is giving her right now is a stern glower. Not a sexy type of scowl, a dangerous one. Leave it to Darcy not to cower from the Winter Solider.

"Reservoir. Tip." She pops the "P" at the ends of tip and looks him right in the eyes.

He pounces. He is racking his hands up her sides and tickling her breathless. She makes a move to roll out from underneath him but he quickly uses both thighs to pin her in place. Once he decides she has had enough, He drops his mouth to her and kisses her through her residual laughter. She playfully pushes him back into postion and he laughs as he pulls his underwear down enough to free himself and roll the rubber on.

She rolls in a twist to the bedside drawer once more.

"Here. We needs this." She pulls out of a tube of something.

"What's that?" He asks. Last time she went in that drawer he was offended by her presumed ignorance. Now he wears it.

"It's lube. You put it on you so I'm nice and lubricated down there. Here put out your hand." It hit him like a ton of bricks. He was as out of practiced as he feared. The poor girl, he was a failure. He hadn't even thought to properly warm her up before he conquered her. This was going to set an awful precedent for her and guys in the future. "Barnes? You okay up there?" He blinks himself back to the conversation. She's looking up at him with with round sad eyes. "Where did you go? You need to slow down? We can take a break."

He should halt it. He should explain he doesn't think he's the right man for the job. That she should be with someone who can, at the very least, remember the basics. Do right by this, right by her. Though she is just so incredibly Darcy. Concerned for him, like she always is for everyone.  His hero complex kicks in and he wants to give her the very thing she asks for.

"No. just got a little caught up there. Here, give me some of that." He accepts a dab on his hand and spreads it over himself. Hoping she doesn't notice the extra few pumps he gives himself to regain what his train of thought just robbed him of. 

She is smiling at him and it is breaking his heart. He moves one hand to guide himself in. Once he feels he has made it just pass the opening, he stills while he brings his arm back to prop his elbow on the bed for support. He breaths for another beat and pushes into her. It is gentle but with enough force to make room for himself. Darcy sucks in a breath underneath him. He props up to look down at her.

Her face searching. Looking to him for reassurance. He hopes what he is able to mirror back offers something she can hold on to. They both make no attempt to move, letting everything sink in.

She then brings both hands between them and waves with her closed fist. "Yay, I am not a Virgin anymore." She gives a meek cheer and he knows the sound is emotion mixed with the discomfort and having to stretch around a man for the first time. This is not right. None of this is right. He shouldn't have let it get this far. He drops his head to her collarbone. He takes a deep breath, punishing his future self by committing her scent to memory. He then begins to slide out. "Hey? Where are you going?" She calls after him.

"No. You are still a Virgin. I'm sorry Darcy. I just can't." He goes to sit on the edge of the bed. His back to her. He can tell she is quick to catch on to his change of emotion. He can feel her press the sheets to her chest and sit up behind him.

"Hey. It's okay." She reaches out a hand and rest it on his bare back. She then slowly rubs it across him and takes a minute before she speaks. "Barnes? I'm sorry if I set you back with all of this. You gotta know I at least thought it would help."

Ouch. A second shot through his already wounded heart. He just left her as soon as he entered her, literally turned his whole back to the situation and here she is, worried that he was going to be the one to not come out unscathed.

"Kid, you're something else. You know that?" He turns as he says it. He rest a palm flat on the back of her neck and pulls her forward to give her forehead a kiss. "This just isn't what you deserve, Doll. You need some sap that worships at your feet and does all that wussy boy wooing stuff for weeks, months before he gets you in bed. Not some old, haunted shell of I man I supposedly use to be." He brings his hand from her neck to her cheek and rubs a thumb over it before retracting it. He sighs heavily.

He reaches for a tissue beside her bed and uses it to remove and discard the empty condom into the room's wastebasket. He stands to locate his pants and put them back on. As he does the same with his shirt she says it. She had been sitting there silent on the bed. Looking down into her lap, then she finally say something. 

"Yeah well, maybe I don't want the sap." She doesn't mean for him to hear it. He knows that. He gives her the grace of pretending he didn't. Or he is avoiding having to address it. He picks up his boots instead of taking the time to put them on. He'll walk back to his place in his socks if that mean hurrying his exit along. 

"Here, I'll walk you out." Her voice more her own now. She makes her way to her feet and pulls a small, slip of a robe from the oversize chair in the corner of her room. He takes his last look of her naked body before she covers it. She moves pass him and into the living room. 

He follows behind and picks up his jacket before meeting her at the door she has open. If that wasn't a big "get out so I can curse you're name in private", he didn't know what was.

"Hey, we're all right though, yeah? You and I?" He has his hand again the back of her neck.

"Haven't we always been a little fucked up, Barnes? Isn't that why we work?" She offers a small smile. Then sighs. "Yeah Old Man. We're all right."

"Good." He once more directs her forward to kiss her forehead and smiles as he pulls back. He's caught by the look on her face, he knows she may never look at him the same. He wants to stand here and soak in it before is gone forever but she shifts with the open door a bit and he takes the hint. "Goodnight, Darce." The door closes behind him.

Out in the hall he pauses not even a full step into his trek home. He presses his back against the wall and let his breathing overtake him. What a fucking coward. Then he hears it. Darcy's Sexy Song playing into her apartment. He knew it was her Sexy Song because she told him it was her as such.

A few weeks back he heard JARVIS streaming into the communal kitchen as he made his way to the room's entry way. There was Darcy swaying to it while mixing a big bowl of some sort of batter. Soon after the vocals had kicked in, her hips really began to commit to the movements. He stayed pinned where he stood. Each swish, dip and swirl of her body of the slow rhythmic serenade leaving him memorized. He was beginning to believe she was doing it for him. Putting on a show of sorts. She was cheeky but this was something else. Was she temping him? They best way he saw fit to answer that make his way to her. A stride most definitely belonging to his former self bring him out from the shadows. It is quickly met with a jump from her and it answers his question. He immediately feels foolish for thinking any of that was for his benefit. Though grateful to be able to bare witness to such unguarded feminine brilliance. 

"JARVIS. Can you please turn it down?" She turns to him. "Barnes, if you so much as say a single pervy thing and ruin my new, absolute favorite sexy song, I will end you." 

He can't contain the smile spread broadly across his face. He dips and finger into the bowl she's holding and brings a taste to his lips. 

"Wouldn't dream of it, Doll."

Now he stands outside her apartment. What the hell was he doing?

His movements decisive. He turns and pounds twice on her door. "Darcy? Darcy, open up."

"Oh hell no James Barnes! I am not stepping on that merry-go-round again tonight. We're up, we're down. We're up, we're down. Look, I'm the first one to admit this was not my best idea. Go get some sleep and we'll go over Former Super Assinan Issues 101 tomorrow." She calls out loudly to be heard over the music.

"That's a ferris wheel. The up and down. You said merry-go-round."

"Goodnight, Barnes!"

"Darce. Please." He pauses afraid all may be lost when the door begins to open. 

The music billowing out from behind and her eyebrows are raised. He is certain it is in a form a question.

"Fuck it." He brings a hand to the side of her face and covers her lips with his without hesitation. He takes a step in, which guides her to take one back. He throws his boots and jacket to the floor and bring his now free hand up to wrap around her waist and bring her close. He kicks the door closed behind him. His lips never leaving hers. He continues to walk her backwards into the room until he has her with her back against a wall. Her hands threading through his hair, tugging him hard to press further into her. When he pulls back she whines.

"Now, first things first, Ms. Lewis. An engine must always been warm before embarking on a joy ride." He leers at her and gives her body a once over. Plotting. "I'm so glad you still have this little robe on." He tugs playfully at one end of the tie as he speaks. "It's very inviting." He runs both hands down her arms until they have collected each wrist in his palms. He hands her left wrist over to join her right wrist in his metal hand and he draws them both up over her head and holds them there with his elbow propped off the wall. He takes his empty palm and runs it down the length of her extended arms down pass her shoulders until her reaches one of her breast. The thin material left little to hide. He cups it and makes an appreciative face. "Very. Inviting." He repeats. His hand slide down further and he reaches the tie of her robe once more. This time he tugs hard enough for the the knot to come loose. Either side falls open, leaving her exposed. He lays a palm on her abdomen and glides it back up to the breast he just held in his hand. As he does so he moves his mouth to her neck. He alternates between flush kisses and light sucking. 

It's not as if she makes any moved to free her arms, it's just her body instinctively wanting to reach for him. It eggs him on. He moves his head so his jawline in just barley grazing over hers. He slides the hand from her breast down the length of her once more. When he continues further pass her navel she makes an eager grasp for air. He slides a flat palm right over her fleshy mound and cups it. Using a knee, he spreads her legs a bit. His index finger parts her fold. He runs a pad of a single finger up the length of just inside her lips and back down again before adding a second finger to run over her. Every time he reaches her clitoris, he turns the fingers so the side would run over most sensitive spot and turn them back just over it to run the pads back down her length. He continues doing this, increasing his speed gradually, until her breathing becomes affected. 

Small pants began every time he reached encouraged clit. His fingers soon become slick in her warm wet. 

He brings his mouth to her ear a speaks close enough the his is certain the vibration is going to tickle. "You feel that, Doll? Feel how wet you're getting for me?  Any punk who needs a bottle of lube to get you going, you kick him to the crub. Okay?" He waits her response but she is clearly too distracted by the movement of his hand. Hip nips at her jawline to command a response. "Okay, Darcy?" She nods her reply. 

Satisfied that she understood, he makes a move to remove his fingers and cup her once more. The shift leaves her wanting. She searches for relief by push herself into his palm. She moves and rolls her hips. Bucky let's out an amused chuckle. "Good girl." He says. "I bet if I refused to go any further you'd find A way to get yourself off, wouldn't you? I like that." 

She whimpers out an inaudible plea.

"Don't worry. I think I have left you wanting far too much tonight. Let me be the one to finish the task at hand." With that he takes the pads of all four finger and parts her once more.  His tips laying flat, gently resting on her most sensitive spot. He begins them to move them slightly up and down without them ever really going anywhere. He begins to roll his fingers up and to side. Completing circle over her clit repeatedly. Over and over. Then flat again only now moving side to side, right over the spot he had been working. Faster and faster until he feels her build. His mouth on hers as her climax comes near and he kisses her breathless as it rolls through her in waves. 

He lowers her arms for her as her body comes back down. He still kisses her through it. An intoxicating mix of passionate and tender.

She is the one to reach for his pants. Undoing them as their lips continue on. Her hand around his cock with purpose. 

"Whoa. Not so fast. I still got something here I want to do." He waste no time going to his knee, hooking her knee over his shoulder.

"Barnes... I am so sensitive right now-" Her first words since before he guided her through her orgasm. They came out rough and heavy.

"Relax, Doll. I just want to taste you."  He smirks up at her and intertwines one set of her fingers with his metal one for reassurance.

He doesn't taunt her. He goes right in to run his tongue over her.  He thinks he may never get his fill of how incredible her juices taste. He's getting ahead of himself when he deepens his tongue and actually enters her.  

"Ahh. Barnes..."

Bucky retreats and remins himself of Darcy's inexperience. 

He slides his way up her until he's standing up right but her leg is now hook just above his waist. She looking at his lips. He is sure to be wearing a sheen on them. She looks as if curiosity is going to over take her to draw him in so she can kiss herself off of him.

He does her the favor and kisses her first. She is soon reminded of her placement before and reaches one more into his pants for him. She is not shy about it wanting touch him. Once his pants begin to restrict access, she pushed them down and guides his briefs along too. She smiles wickedly. Though dry, she moves her hand to give him a few testing pumps. The next three are followed with a firm thumb pressing into the underside when she reaches tip head.

"Darcy, good God. Are you sure you're a virgin?

"Actually, that's kinda a grey area at the moment." She laughs lightly. 

"Well then, let's clear things up. Shall we? I am going to do something but I need you to trust me. Can you do that, Kid?" She nods. "Good girl. I'm going to pick you up and enter you. Don't worry,  I'm not going to finish until we get the rubbers, all right?" She nods again only this time anxious. He kisses her once more and takes either side of her rear into his hands. He effortlessly lifts her waist high. She instinctively drapes her arms over His broad shoulders for support. "Wrap those beautiful gams around me, Doll." She does so on que. "Good. Okay, stay right there." He fully supports her with one arm as he reaches the other between them and helps direct himself to her opening. He brings the hand back to her backside and lowers her onto him.

 "Ahh, so prepped and ready. That's how I want you to be from here on out,  all right? This is how it should be." He grips her hips and moves her around a bit so she knows what he is referring to. She nods along and he kisses her as reward. 

She is draped over him and is as involved in the kissing as he is when she begins to roll her hips. "Hey now, kid. Take it easy on a Old Man. It's been quite some time and you feel amazing. Just... just give me a minute here." 

She pushes back of him and braces her upper back against the wall still a step behind her. She looks him in the eye with a devilish smirk. He knows she's up to something but he can't say he wants to put her down and lose the view. 

The first roll could be considered an innocent experiment but by the time his head is drunk with the fourth of fifth roll over his cock, he knows she is playing with fire. "Come on Darce. You gotta stop that. I need to properly get you in the room with those Goddamn rubbers." He chokes it out as Darcy swivels for the sixth or seventh time.

"I'm on the pill." She shrugs and he is suddenly more alert.

"You're on the pill?!"

"Yeah, for years. I always got really bad-" He cuts her off.

"What was with the condoms then?" At least with the distraction he wasn't close to losing his load any more.

"Safe sex?" She shrugs again. Innocent, inexperience Darcy. He wants her even more.

He takes a step forward, she sit up and leans into him. Her whole back is flushed against the wall. Her arms once more over his shoulders and hands taking the liberty of running through his hair, over his back, anywhere that would be equal parts arousing and reassuring. He buries into her neck, taking in her scent as he gives his first honest pump into her.

"Oh God. Barnes!" She cries out.

It encourages him to go again. Another pump and another. He no longer has any plans to take this slow. Not that he had much of a choice.

"It's been a long time. I don't know how long I can hold it, Doll."

She hugs his top half in an embraces. "Just do what feels good. I'm here." She criss-crosses her arms cradling behind the back of his head. She lays her cheek flat against the side of his face and presses a kiss from the side of her lips to him. "I'm here."

This woman. He grips around her waist with his metal arm and braces himself with his flesh one. Most of her still supported by the wall. He moves into her, again, again, again. He builds and she squeezes tighter around her embrace.

"Come on, Bucky. Come for me." She gives against his ear and he loses it. He begins to unravel. Each weak pump in after he starts to come makes him shutter. Darcy holds him throughout. Grounding him. Keeping watch so he can feel free to be unguarded. So if even briefly he doesn't have to carry the weight.

Once he is nearly limp in their stance, he comes to with the sound of Darcy's laughter. He props up to look at her. She wear the obvious joy across her features. "Yay! Now I am definitely not a Virgin anymore!" She gives the same fist cheer as before. She then places her hands on either of his cheeks to place a loud smack of a kiss on his lip. " And you! Go Barnes! I knew you had it in you!"

He smiles in earnest. Leave it to Darcy to lead a cheery run down of sex. He lowers his head and laughs into her shoulder. She chuckles along with him. The mood giddy as he lowers her back to the ground. 

His head to her forehead and they continue kissing some more. Neither make mention that the mission had been accomplished and there is no need to carry on further. 

"So I am totally like some hot sex Goddess now, huh?" He's laughed more with her tonight than her has in the past two years.  

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Kid. I've got a lot of intensive, hands on training to put you through before we get there." He moves some hair behind her ears. 

"Oh yeah?" She smirks. "JARVIS? Please cue up that song again and play it in the bedroom."  She challenges him with a look. "Pick up your pants, Solider. We've got work to do." she turns and makes her way into the room.

Bucky can't remember the first time he had sex. Not a face or a name or even a single fleeting feeling. He is certain even if he could, it would have not have even compared to how he feels now, in Darcy's bed. He knows he never want to forget and exhausted and naked Darcy sleeping across his bare chest after their first night together. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up in about ten days! Leave a comment and tell me what you think!
> 
> Darcy's Sexy Song: Work Song by Hozier. I mean I had this Fangirl moment when I first made the connection for how well it could work for a Ducky FanFic. I just didn't know how to properly incorporate it. So I just played it on repeat and tried to have the rhythm of the song match the syntax... I didn't happen but oh well. Still got to listen to the song on repeat.


	3. Do you own dirty work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter but it doesn't mean it was rushed (but un-beta. That is true). I just need a shorter vehicle to build the bridge I needed. Seeing Avengers: AOU tomorrow! Woo!

"Fancy seeing you here. I thought you weren't getting back until tomorrow. Did JARVIS let you in?" Darcy schleps it into her apartment, pulling to remove her work clothes with every step.

"Got back about half an hour ago. Thought I would check in with the damn "L.A." Dodgers and wait for you to get off work." Bucky stands from her couch with a half finished beer in hand. He turns to properly embrace Darcy. He cups her ass with his free hand bends into her as she mirrors him by molding back into him for a long Welcome-Back kiss.  

"Well as happy I am to see you, you don't exist for the next 45-ish minutes. I have an episode of something on my DVR but if you wanna stick around, I will gladly take my top off after." Darcy wiggles her eyebrows at him before retreating into her room. Bucky sits back on the couch and Darcy quickly emerges wearing not only one of his white v-neck undershirts but a pair of his boxer briefs he must have left at some point. 

She makes her way to the couch and nestles into his side before relieving him of his beverage. 

"Ya know, if you spent less time in a guy's underwear, in front of your television, you might actually find the time to go out and meet somebody."

She picks up the remote and sighs heavily. "Barnes, you've been gone almost a week. Are we really going to have this conversation again right now? It's really going to kill the vibe of the I Sorta-Kinda Missed You Sex later."

"A week you could have been out there finding someone worth your wild, Darce."

"Ugh. Okay, you've got 5 minutes to do this. 5 minutes and I am turning on my show and you do not exist. Go." She's already exasperated and Bucky knows he has already lost this round. Bless him for trying anyways.

"Darcy- don't make me out to be the bad guy." He runs his fingers through his hair.

"I'm not. I am making you out be ridiculous but then again, that's your doing. I will tell you what I always tell you. We're already odd balls, Buck.  We crossed over some weird boundary long before we saw each other naked. We could go back to the way thing were if that is what you really want but all that's going to stop is the actual woo-woo" She procedes to put a pointed finger of one hand through circle made from the fingers of her other hand and repeats the gesture twice.

"Classy, kid. Real classy." She shrugs. "Don't you ever think of having a real life with someone? Getting married someday?" 

"No." She answers firmly and he believes her. "Do I strike you as the type of girl that's ever dreamed of the white picket fence with 2.5 kids and a boarder collie?" Her voice goes quiet when his head dips. He remembers telling her how he thinks the old him would have wanted all that someday. If he had ever returned home from war. "Sorry. Look I know you think you are keeping me from this imaginary life you think I should have but believe me when I say I am perfectly happy in the one I got." She interweave the fingers of her hand with the hand of his metal arm draped over her shoulder. "Barnes, remember you won't be punished and lose me. I'll always be a part of your life. You are of your own free will now. Do you want to end how we choose to spend our time together?" Bucky shakes his head no. "Good. Now stop trying to bully me into it." She turns backs, pointing the remote at the T.V.

"That doesn't mean I don't think you should-"

"Ah, ah, ah! You've used your allotted time. Now times up!" She kisses his cheek and snuggles deeper into his side.

He bring the top of her head to him to gives it a kiss before making a move to stand. 

"Hey. Where you going?" She calls to him. He turns and braces both hands on the arm of the couch to lean down and kiss her. 

"I'm going to get another beer and fish something out of your fridge that we can consider dinner."

"Atta' boy! Pop a bag of popcorn and I just might upgrade it to Sorta-Kinda to Sorta-Definitely Missed You Sex!" Darcy makes a finger gun at him and he playfully sighs going into the kitchen.

Things were a lot easier to bare 3 months ago when he didn't feel so responsible for stealing her time. He thought she would move on to what she deserved soon enough so he didn't think twice about the liaison. He lived for the lighthearted supply closet rendezvous in that first month.

_"Geeze! Give a girl a heart attack, why don't ya." She cried out in a whispered tone while making a futile attempt to wound his chest with her fist. He had silently grabbed her while she walk passed the door to the small space._

_"I'm sorry. I just see you fancy about in that skirt and I just wanted a chance to properly show my appreciation." He draws her close and goes to drops his lips to hers._

_"Ah ha! I knew I could confirm it! You totally have a "sexy librarian" thing!" Darcy's index finger pointed straight into the air._

_"What?" He should have never given her the chance to talk once her got her in here._

_"A thing for librarians." He was still lost. She pushes. "About 6 months ago, remember? There was that thing at the New York Public Library? You helped that super old librarian? The rest of the team was afraid you were going to bring her home?" Darcy was leading him and Bucky was still coming up short. He really thought about kissing her silent. "Edna?!"_

_"Edna! Hey, you could tell she really was a looker back in the day! ... My day. Whatever. I still don't know what that has to do with your skirt?" He moves closer to her. Seriously, what a waste of a supply closest._

_"This is my sexy librarian skirt! See the connection?" She is moving her hands between them and Bucky isn't even sure he is capable a blinking anymore with the way he must be looking at her as if the stress of the job is finally getting to her._

_"No. I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about." He didn't._

_"Oh well. If it didn't work, I was just going to go in a whisper my secret weapon anyways." She cracks a confident smile and he leans into her._

_"Oh yeah? And is that exactly, Kid?" He places two fingers under her chin and lifts her mouth to meet his. They barley touch when someone from the outside jiggles the handle. They quickly separate and become immersed in items on the shelves in their own respective corners._

_"Ah! Found the paper clips!" Darcy holds up a box of highlighters and a baby faced intern blinks blanked faced at the scene. He looks at Darcy. Then at the highlighters. Then at Bucky. His face remains passive as he reaches in for a box of ball-point pens just inside the door and goes to leave. "Hold the door! I am right behind you!" Darcy shouts to the fleeing 20 year old and Bucky feels robbed of a proper groping. He reaches out and grabs for her. He comes up short as she places herself outside the space and turns to look at him. She gives him a wink._

_"Wait. What's this secret weapon of yours?" He was doing anything to keep her there a little longer._

_"Oh!" She leans her head in. "I'm not wearing any underwear." She smiles brightly and shuts the door on a laughing yet frustrated Bucky._

The ding of the warmed up leftover overs brings him back. He brings two plates and two beers back out to the living room where Darcy is now fully committed to the tragic lives of the unbelievably attractive and angst ridden people on the screen. Bucky finds it ironic that Darcy lives with legitimately messed up, beautiful people and still allows herself to care so much about a group of fictional characters. He would tell her how ridiculous it was but he knows all too well it is best not to talk when Darcy was watching the CW.

They eat in compatible silence. He clears the dishes and settles back down to wrap himself around her. Wrap around her as much as he can possibly get without her shooing him away to focus on some poorly written dialogue, anyways. Once he manages to slip a hand under the shirt she is wearing and finds she is without a bra, he is extremely glad Darcy didn't choose to watch this in the common room. 

Although they hadn't exactly told anyone that they were doing... whatever it is they were doing. Bucky was quite surprised how much the others either didn't notice or maybe didn't care to mention anything to him about the amount of physical contact he and Darcy displayed. The one exception was Steve. Thankfully Darcy instinctively followed Bucky desire to steer clear of each other around the Good Captain. The rest of the team was an after thought.

_He and Clint took great measures to lay out every single topping imaginable from the communal kitchen's fridge for sandwiches. He had just sat down to dive in on what could be considered the most attractive combination of cold cuts and garnish in the history of lunchtime sandwiches. Clint was trying to convince him to go out with him one night soon and as Clint had put it; "sample the local flavor"._

_"Come on. We'll grab some beer. You can try and meet some pretty little thing. Chicks dig a War Hero. They LOVE showing their appreciation for your service." He liked Clint. Clint was especially easy to get along with what when down with he and Loki pre-battle of New York. Not too mention, he was the one to pull Natalia from the KGB._

_Natalia. She stood with her hips back against the counter running parallel to the food spread on the kitchen island. She sips her tea and punctuating certain parts of Clint's plea for a night out with gentle reminders that it might really be good for him. Bucky didn't feel right saying he found something that just might actually be more worth his time. He wouldn't know exactly how to word it without inviting any prying._

_Then Darcy walked in. Her head was in a tablet and this clearly was going to be a working lunch for her. She walked over to the stool next to Bucky's. Before she sits, she sets down her tablet and notices the Heaven-between-two-pieces-of-bread he holds in his hands. Before he can bring his culinary efforts to his lips she makes grabby hands for it. "Oooh. That looks so good! Can I have a bite?" She reaches for the sandwich he shifts to allow her better access to. She takes a bite and hands it back to him nodding her head and pumping a thumbs up in the air as she chews. "So good!" She says with her hand in front of her mouth, blocking the chewed food from being seen._

_"Yeah?" He asked with a matching eyebrow raise._

_"Mmhm!" She sits down next to him and is once again enraptured by the work on her tablet. He isn't sure if she is even aware the knees she had pointed towards him were flush up against his thigh. He didn't care to move them. He continued in on his sandwich, and it was two full bites later when Darcy was looking him, nudging into his leg. He looks at her and she points to his lunch with her chin. He sighs and holds his sandwich firmly between both hands as brings it over to her lips for her to take a hands free bite. She does so and goes back to her work._

_"Ya know. There is everything you could possibly need to make one of your very own, laid out right over there." Bucky says to the top of Darcy's head as she is still hovering over her Stark pad._

_"I know. I just want a bite." She removes the sandwich from him again. He gives a defeated sigh and stands to make himself another sandwich, leaving her to finish the first one he spent the better part of 20 minutes creating._

_"... or you could stay in..." Clint says and Bucky realizes both he and Natalia must have watched the whole exchange. He first looks at Clint to gauge his response but the Archer has his head down in his plate, smiling. Bucky moves his attention to the redhead. She is danitly sipping her tea to hide her pleased smile and one brow hiked all the way to her hairline. Bucky gives her a "don't even start" look and her smile widens._

_After he crafts another, not nearly as awe worthy, replacement he sit back down next to Darcy. She has finished eating and is still pouring over her work. She must have realized the time because she says. "Yikes. I've got to get back." As she stands. She reaches for Bucky's milk and finishes all but two healthy sips. "Thanks for lunch, Barnes." She looks at him appreciatively and swipes mustard of the side of his mouth with her thumb. She brings up her other hand ruffle his hair before departing._

_"You're a filthy mooch! You know that?" He calls after her._

_"Yep." She shoots without looking up or back._

_He looks to the two other lunch companions. They have more than enjoyed the lunch show._

"Annnnd done! Come here, Solider!" Darcy has clicked the remote and is primed to pounce on Bucky. She moves to her knees on the cushion of the couch next and making a move to get closer.

"Oh, I exist now, huh?" Bucky feign hurt. 

"Well someone was sure having a good time with my unsupported breast during the last half of the show so I guess you never really went away." She presses further into him and their lips meet. She makes room herself on his lap. When she pushes something in his pocket against his leg, he remembers.

"Oh, wait. I picked something up for you." He shifts a reluctant Darcy back and digs for the object. "Now you know I can't tell you where I got this so don't ask." He brings his closed first out and opens it to her to reveal a soft, nearly translucent stone.

"Sea glass." She says without emotion.

"Yeah. We use to call 'em Mermaid Tears. Something I remember upon seeing it, actually." Bucky begins to move the Sea glass between his fingers. Letting the resurfaced memory roll over him. "Steve and I, when we could scrape up the money, we would go to Coney Island. When the money would run out, we would just sit on the beach. See who could collect the biggest piece." He holds the stone eye level between them. 

"You see, glass itself is man made. It fulfills a need but it's easily discarded. After it's served it's purpose it is left on the beach. Now it could either be extremely fragile and break under pressure. Or, on the other hand, it's threat of potential harm if left exposed on the shore." He brings down and moves it to his metal palm left open to receive it. "The Sea, though, the Sea pulls it in with her tide. She is relentless. Her waves continually bash over it. I'm sure the glass wishes she would just cut him some slack every now and then." He smiles and brings her hand up and sets the piece in her open palm. He keeps his eyes on it. "But she is his constant. With every tumble over him he is soothed. His raw edges soften. The Sea takes this discarded refugee and makes it something he thinks he may even find a way to proud of himself. Someday." He shrugs into a smirk. He closes her fingers around it. "It reminded me of you." He looks up at her just as two even tears round pass the apples of her cheeks.

He brings his hand to back of her neck and draws her into him. She follows and moves to sit on his lap, in his space. He brings up his metal hand brushes at her wet cheeks. 

"Okay, fine. I definitely-definitely missed you." She swipes at her cheeks as well. He laughs and brings her in for a kiss. She turns into him fully. He pulls back and sweeps her hair behind her ear.

"I'm curious, Doll. What kind of upgrade from Sorta-Definitely to Definitely-Definitely Missed Me Sex can I expect? Like is there an option menu or something?" She laughs and pushes off him. 

"You're such a pig! Way to kill a moment, dude!" She laughs again and swats his chest.  

"Got a little heavy there, Kid. Ain't really my bag." He runs a hand down her arm. "But what I lack in words, I more than make up for with action." He raises his brows, a comfortable grin cross his features. 

"Is that so?" 

His finesse is nothing short of remarkable. In one fluid movement Darcy is not only off his lap but he is on his feet. In one more sweep, he has her hoisted over her shoulder and is on his way to her room. 

"For the record. I definitely-definitely missed you too, Doll."

~*~

"I'm late! Did you turn off my alarm?!" She rolls off him. He is left missing the warmth of her naked chest pressed into his. She's up and out the door to the shower with a start.

He brings himself up to the edge of the bed. He pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs before making a move to find his discarded clothes on the floor.

The water is running when he opens the door and makes his way into the room. He crosses the space, lifts the lid and begins to relieve himself.

"Bucky! Are you really peeing right now?!" Darcy shrieks through the shower door.

"I had to go! Which, this toilet bowl looks undisturbed, Lewis. Did you pee in the shower?" He cranes his neck to peer in and down to the drain. 

"What?! No! I do not pee in the shower, thank you very much!" The water shuts off and Darcy reaches for a towel. Bucky flushes and moves to lean up against the vanity sink. His legs out and his arms crossed.

"So are we not going to talk about last night yet?" His tone anything but playful.

"You had a nightmare. They happen. You just got back from a mission and we had a big night. There was a lot to process." She finishes patting her skin and makes the towel into a wrap over her chest.

"I snapped back to reality naked and in a crouching attack position at the foot of the bed, Darce. That was not just a dream. What if it was some sort of flashback or something? What if I had thought you- What if I had-" His throat becoming tight around his words.

"You didn't though. See? Still here and very late for work." She fans a hand down the length of her body and goes to continues on out the door. He reaches her arm to still her. 

"Come on. Just give me a minute. Please. Come here." His words soft but said with need. He directs her to face him. Her legs on the outside of each of his extended ones. "Look. I know you always want to pretend everything is fine and there is never anything to worry about but we are going to have to talk about this stuff eventually." He has both her arms now.  He runs his hands up and down them. Using her as an anchor for what he says next. "Darcy, I need to know you're safe. From me. I need to know you're safe from me." The words are heavy as they hover in the space between them.

"I am, Barnes. I know I am safe." She loops her arms around his neck and leans against him. "Trust me. I trust you."

"Yeah well, that makes one of us." He gives her a simple kiss. "Hey, while we're on the subject, did you think I wasn't going to notice you've completely blown off training now that you succeeded at getting me in the sack?"

"Ah. You figured out my master plan!"

"Very funny, Kid but this goes back to you being safe." He tries to look as stern as one can be when reaching forward to nuzzle someone's nose.

"You haven't heard? I'm sleeping with a Super Assassin. You don't get much better protection than that!" He lifts his brow at her deflection. "Relax, okay?" She kisses him. "and Barnes? Would you get out of the bathroom? I really need to pee."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10 points if you can pin-point what I am setting up as Darcy's big relationship No-no!
> 
> Again, I didn't feel the need that I needed to bridged the bow-chicka-wow-wow to where I am taking then with this looooong in between. Stick around and see what's in store!
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you everyone who has commented so far. Seeing something in your inbox is just plain awesome!
> 
> Also, I don't know why my other note from another chapter is posting here.


	4. A Stranger Amongst Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: There are a couple f-bombs. 
> 
> Who knew Steve had such a dirty mouth?
> 
>  
> 
> P.S. I beta'd the best I could this round. Super busy month and no one to pass along to.

"I've been sleeping with Darcy." Bucky's intent wasn't to throw off his opponent so much so to get one good swing in to knock him flat on his ass but Bucky managed just that. Steve sat on the floor of the ring. Dazed. "Yeah, I kinda felt like that when she first suggested it too." Bucky reaches out his boxing glove covered hand to help Steve to his feet.

"Aww shit, Buck?! Darcy? Really?" His immediate response was why Bucky didn't want Steve to catch on to what had been going on between him and Darcy. Bucky just shrugged and moved to rest his elbows on the ropes to look over the gym.

Steve and Bucky had begun visiting an old, dingy boxing gym in their old neighborhood in Brooklyn. They liked getting out of the Tower and feel home again. They would come, just the two of them, and spar a bit before grabbing a bite. If there was ever a safe place to finally tell a Steve about Darcy, this was it. It was just like the old days when they were here.

Steve joined Bucky at the ropes and faced out as well. "That's how I'd figure you take it." Bucky, a little hurt, didn't look at Steve.

"It's just that, ya know. It's Darcy. She's kinda like a little sister to everyone. I don't know. I don't want anyone to think anything about her or you." Steve concern about Bucky being portrayed as bad boy with the ladies was kind of comical given Bucky had been up to far worse as the Winter Solider.

"Well it gets better. She was a virgin." If Bucky was going to be hated, he was going to make it count.

Steve pauses.

"Alright. Well now I want to punch you a little bit." Steve runs his boxing glove over the top of his head. "Come on, Buck. You think that was the most responsible thing you could do?" Steve sighs before a swift  "Damn it" escapes his mouth. Bucky could tell if anyone here was worried about being responsible, it was Steve. Like the punk was going to blame himself because Darcy was no longer pure. What was with all these Superheros needing to be such martyrs?

"It was her idea. I think you know as well as I do, that broad getting fixed on an idea means it is more of a "when", rather than "if" you comply... and I guess, I kinda needed her as much as she needed me." Bucky says that last part soft before asking. "You really that mad?"

"No. I mean. I get it. Darcy's..." Steve brings his gloved hands up to shamelessly draw the outline of very generously portioned woman in the air. "and you're you... Well who you were when we were kids, anyways. Somewhere. She would have thrown you for a loop back then." Steve laughs a soft chuckle remembering things of years passed. "Plus she's kinda reminds me of you. It's kinda odd, come to think of it." Steve dodges a playful side swing from Bucky. "Why you telling me this anyways, if you didn't think I'd like it?"

"I had a nightmare... or something. I don't know. Woke up one night, about a month ago. No recollection of how I got out of bed even." Steve's eyes go wide. "Relax, I came to and Darcy was none the wiser. Snoring like a Goddamn lumberjack into her pillow. I woke her told her."

"What'd she say?" Steve presses timidly.

"Nothin. She refuses to say anything about anything. I think I went and got myself tangled up with someone MORE reckless than Steve Rogers, believe it or not. She refuses to see the potential for everything to go to go to Hell in a hand basket. It's working at me, being the only one concern for her safety all the time. I even gave up sleeping over, which of course only lasted about two nights." Bucky shrugs. 

"Why keep it up then? Darcy isn't like any of us. She Isn't like anyone, really, but she's not damaged like us. She doesn't have a scar to talk about, a past to move on from. If you're so concern for her well being, why?" Bucky knows Steve doesn't mean to sound like a huge ass. Just in the infallible fight for Right and Just, things are black and white.

"I love her. The thought of being without her, might rip me up a little more than anything else.  I'm selfish. Okay?"

"Geeze Bucky, you love her?! Fuck." Bucky lifts an eyebrow. 

"Yeah. I love her and don't let me catch you doing that hourglass outline again when you're referring to her either." Bucky dapps his friend with the glove on the way back to the middle of the ring. Bouncing in place, waiting for Steve to rejoin him.

They fall back into a comfortable dance, exchanging punches and moving in silence. It was Steve who spoke first.

"What are you going to do?" Steve asked after taking an upper cut to the side.

"What can I do? There is not really a training manual for dating after being brainwashed. I don't think it's going to be as easy as staying away."

"Talk to her, Buck. If this is really something as important to you as you say it is, you need to talk to her. Talk to her until your blue in the face if that's what it is going to take for her to hear you." Steve punctuates the end with a quick combo.

Bucky shakes it off and says; "Yeah. Your right. Does this mean you approve?"

Steve drops both arms and rights himself to look directly at Buck. " 'S that why you didn't tell me? You didn't think I would approve?"

Buck mirrors Steve's stance and shrugs. 

"Look, am I concerned? Yeah. Hell yeah. But I'll tell you one thing, I am more surprised than anything. Hearing that you, James Barnes, went a fell in love with a Dame is probably the craziest thing to come out of the last 75 years. Bar none, just wow." Steve is lighthearted again and it puts Bucky at ease. Steve puts his hand on Bucky's shoulder. "Just be careful, Buck. All right? Promise? And talk to her." Steve ends with a nod and Bucky knows he means it as an unofficial, official order. Bucky nods back. " Good. Now let's get out of here. I think the sky might be falling in. Bucky Barnes is in love."

"Very funny, Punk."

~*~

The elevator doors open and he can see her just beyond the glass, out on the Tower's large balcony. She has a towel draped over one of Stark's expensive furnishings. She laying facing away from the doors. She's on her stomach with her knees bent and feet in the air. He's quick to take notice of her attire. High-waist jean cut-offs and retro red bikini top. Well what she would consider retro. To him it was a sexier version of what the gals in his day would wear.

She is outside alone, flipping through a magazine. He reaches to run his fingertips just over the top of her bare leg on his way to the sun porches railing. He makes it as far as her calf before she turns up on her side to peer at him over her white framed sunglasses, that have slipped down her nose. Her red lips in a broad smile. "Solider." She greets him before going to form a bubble with her gum and rolling back to her front. He carries on his path, dragging his fingers as he goes. Once he reaches his destination he turns to hook his elbows on the railing behind him. He leans back into it before returning the hello.

"Lolita." He nods and she pops the bubble and collects the gum back in her mouth. She rest her chin down on the back of her stacked hands.

"Enjoy your time guy time in Brooklyn?" She asks.

"I did. You enjoying your time out here where every common Superhero or guy with a pair of binoculars and a decent vantage point can get his fill of that milky flesh?" He asks, gesturing to her on the towel. She props up slightly, rolling her eyes.

"First off, I am not even going to address the fact you just said " milky flesh " without a hint of humor. Second, James Barnes. You're jealous!" She almost sounds delighted.

"Never said I wasn't, Doll." He shrugs into it and says "I just thought you said you were spending the day with Jane."

She goes to sit up fully. "I am. I getting Jane some very crucial Vitamin D. These interns Stark provides don't even make sure she gets outside time! Free help these days, huh?"

Bucky chuckles. "Where's the Doctor now?"

Darcy looks into the large room on the other side of the wall of windows. "She said the bathroom but I wouldn't be surprised if she was hunting down caffeine to get back to her science after playtime is over." She looks back at Bucky. "Not that I would mind adding you in for some playtime, but was there a reason tracked me down out here?" She smiles at him and he knows it's go time. 

"Yeah. Kinda. I uh just wanna talk to you about somethin-" 

The boom is loud. The vibration radiate over the windows.

Bucky is over to Darcy instantly. He has her by the arm with his metal hand. With one fluid motion he has his back to the wall, Darcy tucked behind him and his Glock drawn. He has yet to release Darcy's arm and has no plans to do so anytime soon despite it being an awkward stance for defense. 

 When the safety shields begin to cover the glass walls he realizes his movements were faster than the Tower's safety precautions. He uses the distracting closing of metal plates, over the buildings glass wall to repositon he and Darcy as quickly as he got them into the defense hold they were in now. In a move that would be a beautiful and rhythmic dance, had it not originated from cold and calculative training, Bucky has Darcy tucked in front of him. Her face pressed into his chest and his chin just above her head. His gun still drawn. He never once broke his grip of her forearm.  

Though, this is not Bucky. He is not of his surroundings at the moment. He is channeling the part of him he had been spending the last few years trying to forget. Now, however, it was the part of him that would best ensure Darcy's safety.

When 30 seconds ticked by with no action, his adrenaline begins to even out.The place he is hiding within himself begins to stir with what sounds like someone gently saying his name. He fights to follow the sound, to come to the surface of his being.

"Bucky!" The voice finally raising enough to draw him out. He looks down to see Darcy. Her arm still in his hand, drawn across her chest. She is looking up at him. Her free hand resting lightly on his chest. "Stay with me, Barnes. We'll figure out what is going on. Just stay with me, all right." Oddly she was the one with next to no tactical training yet she was the one taking a step back to asses the situation. He wanted to give her a nod, let her know he was still in there but he couldn't. He just looks into her eyes, hoping it would be enough. Then the safety shields begin to open and he snaps back to high alert. His gun pointed directly at the door and his grip tightened on Darcy's arm. He waits.

"Sorry! Sorry! Totally my fault. Well Tony's fault and his stupid amped up coffee maker." Jane is walking onto the balcony, waffling smoke around her as she makes her way. As soon as she lifts her head to see a gun pointed directly at her she yelps and puts her hands up. To her credit, she assess the situation phenomenally. A tense moment ticks by and she continues, hands still raised. "Sorry. Do you guys, uh, need a minute?" 

Bucky feels Darcy give a strong, slow nod to Jane. Darcy then reaches up and rest a palm on the forearm of the arm he is using to hold the gun. She waits until he looks down at her before she gives a reassuring smile and just the slightest pressure under her hand, indicating he could lower his weapon. Once he begins to do just that, Darcy lets out a breath and Jane backs away and retreats into the Tower. 

Darcy lays her head on his chest. Seemingly taking a count before she addresses him again. "Okay, Barnes. You gotta let go of my arm now. Slowly." He suddenly becomes hyper aware of just how firm a grip he has on her. Panic belonging to Bucky and not the Winter Solider kicks in. He goes to rapidly move his hand. "Ahh. Slowly, Barnes." He slows and with both of their heads pointing at the arm pressed between them, he loosens his grip. Darcy sucks in a breath as he releases.

Any time bruising starts that fast, it is deep. The spots under the points of pressure already a blueish tint. The rest swollen and welted. Sure to be a deep purple soon enough.

It was all he needed to see for his empathy to come back to him and the other guy to leave and retreat back from whatever dark corner he had been hiding in Bucky.

"Darcy." Bucky swallowed deeply. Though it was not enough to keep the onslaught of emotion from trying to come through at once. "Darcy, I am so sorry." He goes to reach for her arm, to inspect it but as soon as he makes contact, she winces. "Oh God, Darcy. God, I am so sorry." He is flailing. Equal parts guilt ridden and distraught.

"Shhh. Barnes. It's okay. Let's just take a breath."

"It's not okay, Darcy. None of this is okay! I hurt you. I could have really hurt-" He takes a step back and goes to press his palm into his eyes. The action made difficult by the gun still in his right hand. He does the saftey and staches in the waist of his pants, behind his back.

He sees movement out the corner of his eye. Jane must have been the one to move because the Archer she is standing behind is motionless. Bow drawn and on the ready. Waiting, keeping watch. James doesn't take it personal. Jane must of ran and flagged down the first Avenger she could find. He's sure if the tables were turned. He wouldn't hesitate to have a patient vigil of Clint in his scope.

"Well that was enough fun for today, kids." Darcy is, well Darcy. "How about we all head in and take 5, huh?"Clint's bow drops. He nods towards Darcy. 

"Darce, you need to let medical look at that. It could be fractured." Clint looks pointedly at her arm.

Darcy nods in agreement. Bucky steps forward. "I'll walk you down." He offers and as soon as he's close enough, Darcy places and hand on his chest, stopping him.

"No. It's alright. Jane will walk me." His head drops. "Look and me." She gently commands. "You did nothing wrong. I am fine. Okay? Do you see that?"  She waits for some form of agreement from him. "You need to take a breather. I'm fine." She invites herself into the remaining space between them. Moves her hand to his cheek and softly presses her lips to his. He doesn't return the gesture but it doesn't stop her. She pulls back and uses her thumb to wipe away some of her lipstick. "I will come and find you after you've had a minute." She turns back to the others. "Clint." She says as she goes to move into the Tower and down to the medical floor. Jane is hot on her trail.

"Umm. Are you going to tell me why you just kissed a 1940's Super Assassin like it was an everyday thing?!" Bucky can hear Jane's strain whisper as she retreats to the elevator.

"Priorities, Jane. Priorities." Bucky hears as the elevator doors open to welcome them in.

Bucky goes to make his own way back into the Tower. He passes Clint who gives him a hearty part on the shoulder and says "PTSD is a Motherfucker, am I right?" He goes to follow Bucky and remains a reassuring presence until Bucky presses that he his well enough to wait for Darcy alone.

~*~

It is Dusk before Darcy makes it back into her apartment. Bucky hasn't moved while waiting for her. He sits on her couch with his back to her door, looking straight ahead.

Her door opens and he is still doesn't shift.

"Anyone ever tell you that you'll go blind sitting in the dark?" Darcy turns on a soft light and makes her way over to behind the couch. She bends behind him and drapes her arms around his shoulders and presses her cheek to the side of his head. "No fracture. Though, I'm kinda surprised waiting for x-rays took as long as they did in a privately-owned medical wing."

"Don't. Don't start going on like nothing is wrong, Darce." He bites it out. He doesn't know why he is the one angry with her. 

She stills. It is a full five seconds before she moves again, pressing a kiss into the side of his head and resting a hand on the other side.

"Nothing is wrong. We handled it."

Bucky shoots to his feet as soon as she says it. He turns to face her as she stands upright. The couch separates them.

"Jesus, Darcy! Why won't you ever just listen?! Everything is wrong. Look at your arm. This whole damn thing is wrong! I could have killed you!" The last part is out there. Hanging in the air.

"You were protecting me." Darcy says sharp. " You, all of you, kept me safe. ..and I know this is a total betrayal to the Sisterhood but there are some chicks who dig that whole 'my boyfriend can beat up your boyfriend thing.'" 

She stood in front of him. She is bright, intuitive and yet so naive. 

"Darcy... No."

"I know, I know. May the Spice Girl smite me with their almighty Girl Power for the last part but Dude-"

"No." He cuts her off. "I'm not your boyfriend, Darcy." He tries to deliver it as soft as possible.

"Oh. Oh well that's cool, I guess. I mean, hey?What do I know? Not much experience with all this. I guess I just thought maybe this was going somewhere..." She sounds so raw. So exposed. It was a vast difference from the commanding presence that took charge of the aftermath on the balcony.  She bows her head and begins to fiddle with frayed ends of her shorts. When her arm turns in she obviously catches sight of the bruise and comes back into her own. "You know what? No! This is going somewhere, Barnes! And I am not going to let you climb into a shell a throw it away because you had a set back!"

"A set back? A?! Like ONE set back? There have been a handful of "set backs", Darcy. You just choose to live in some hearts and butterflies universe where they don't exist!"

"No? They don't exist? They exist everyday for me, Barnes! Last month, when you got out of bed? I was terrified! I was certain you were going to do exactly what you are doing know. Pushing me away because you would rather do that than face the fact that the guy living dormant in you is now just a part of you. He always will be."

"You were awake." It's not a question but a realization.

"Yea." She says quieter than before. "A bird or something must have pinged the window. You shot up so quickly. I didn't have a lot of time to process. I laughed at you... at him, at first. Called you a drama queen." She smiles a little but it doesn't seem to fit the memory. "You kinda are by the way." Now he places the smile.  "When you responded back in Russian I was terrified at first. Every inch of me tensed,  thinking it was the end.  But then he said whatever it was again and I noticed how reassuring he meant it. I basically gathered you were telling me to stay down. That everything was going to be okay." Her head down again.

"You didn't tell me."

"No. I didn't." 

"Why?"

"I guess I didn't see much reason to worry you since you obviously had no desire to hurt me." She shrugs sheepishly.

"Don't you think I had a right to know?" His voice leaving no uncertainty of the anger in his words. 

"You're right. I suppose you did" She has yet to lift her head. "I guess..." She shrinks a size and looks him in the eye. "I guess I was afraid of you finding out and using it as a reason to think you don't deserve any of this. That would use it as a reason to leave." Her eyes pleading with him to tell her what she did was right. That she was just protecting him from himself.

 He gives her nothing.

"That's kind of ironic, don't you think?" It is the last thing he offers before he leaves out of her door.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments! Tell me what you think. Where you think it's headed. Or where you would like to see it headed! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! 
> 
> I know this is getting in a little late but I want to say thanks to tuneskootch. Totally gave me a little nugget. I tried to incorporate.
> 
> I am posting the last two chapters together. They actually were a single chapter but I learned something about myself as a writer. I really like building one really good scene. I do not like having to bridge 'em and I am not good at angst. I am too dramatic by nature. It get outa hand. 
> 
> After I finish my Ducky Soulmate (because everyone has to write at least ONE Darcy soulmate fic, right?!) I think I am going to try my hand at a bunch of one shots before I take on another multi-chapter.
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading!!

He comes up behind her in the communal kitchen. She stands confident in the short, lightweight robe he loves her in. He wraps his hands around Her waist and pulls her back into him. He nestles his face into her hair and when she response to him by leaning back into his embrace, he reaches one hand up to sweep the hair from her neck. He begins a slow descent of kisses from her neck to her shoulder before he speaks. 

"I'm sorry, Doll. I can be a real grump sometimes." He kisses the bare skin above her collar twice more for good measure.

"I know, Barnes."  She says in an airy tone as his hand from her waist slips to hip.

"And Darce?" He runs the tip of his nose to the sensitive skin behind her ear and nips at her lobe when he reached it.

"Hmm?" She purrs at the touch.

"I just wanted to tell you I love you." His chest instantly lighter with the admission.

"I know, Barnes. Bucky told me." She says with a laugh. 

"What?" Surely he heard her wrong.

She turns in his embrace. Both hands resting flat on his chest. She nods with the top of her head to the fellow sitting in an out of place antique wooden chair by a window. It's him. In a blue pea-coat with a raised collar. His dog-tags showing through the coat's opening. He has a service rifle across his lap and propped up against the knee of the leg gathered in the chair. The figure looks at the couple and wordlessly salutes with his left hand. His flesh left hand.

Bucky pulls Darcy farther away from the man in the chair. "Darcy, that's not me. That's not Bucky."

Darcy brings a hand to his cheek and laughs. "You're so silly, Barnes. Of course it's you." 

"No, Darcy. Come on. I need to get you out of here. He's got a gun." He begins to pull Darcy to the door. She won't budge. He pulls and pulls and despite his strength, he can't get her to move.

"Barnes. I'm safe. Don't you trust me? Don't you trust him?" Darcy gestures to the other side of the room, behind him. He turns to look but only sees shadow. "He wouldn't let anything happen to me."

"Who Darcy? Who's keeping you safe?" He's pleading with her so he might understand.

"Him." She says calmly and when Barnes turns again he is greeted with The Asset emerging from the cast darkness draped across the corner of the room. He still wears his hair long and a mask covering part of his face.

"Darcy. No! These men aren't who you think you are." He turns back to her. His hands on either of her arms. Trying desperately trying to shake sense into her. "They're dangerous. You need to leave, Darcy. Before we hurt you." 

Darcy laughs again at his frantic plea. 

"But we love each other, Barnes. All of us." Her voice so wispy, it gives him chills. She's been brainwashed. She's not his Darcy anymore. She's been pulled into something he can't control. 

"Leave with me Darcy! We'll get you help.  We'll get you safe. " 

"There is no escape, Barnes." With that the two other men begin to close in on them. "Don't you see, Barnes. There is no leaving these men behind." 

The silent assassin was the first to grab him. He pinned Barnes' arms to his side. When Barnes went to use it as leverage to kick his way out, Bucky collected his legs. Every move to free himself was feeble and exhausting. He was trapped. Darcy appeared at his side, once more. "It's Okay, Barnes. I love you too. All of you."

Bucky shot awake. He was unable to sit up at first, he had to free himself from the mess of the sheets that tangled around him, restricting his movements. Once he is fully upright an unbearable thirst overtakes him. His tongue dry and rough around the closing and opening of his mouth. 

He moves to the edge of his bed and lifts off to pad his way to the kitchen for some water. It is after the 3 glasses full and one more refil to take back to his room does he notice the pair of sock covered feet hanging over the edge of his couch. He moves to turn on the light when the person belonging to the feet shifts and goes to sit up.

"Well, you're not dead at least." Even for groggy Steve is still able to pull off disapproving with little effort. Bucky perches himself on the arm of the couch. "Seriously Buck. I know your on some personal mission to see how much it takes to break the serum's levies but your going to give yourself alcohol poisoning in the process. It's not worth it."

Oh yeah. He had gone out last night. It was just after the first time he'd laid eyes on Darcy in the two weeks since he walked out on her.

She, of course, hadn't seen him.

_He knew as soon as he had been tasked with Mission related business on her floor, he was going to run into her. Whether he was anxious from excitement or nerves, he didn't know but the tightness in his gut was relentless as soon as his assignment had been laid before him._

_He got in easy enough. When an entire floor wasn't expecting a visit from a lovelorn Romeo, he didn't see much need to do an initial recon trip to evaluate the best way in or out of the floors hallway labyrinths. He would simply aim for the desired destination with his head down and walk really, really fast._

_It was the return that proved troublesome..._

_He was mere 25 feet from the elevators, from his escape, when she came into view. Her head buried in in a tablet as usual. Bucky froze, nearly pinned with fear. Instincts went into overdrive and he reached to test the handle of the closest door. Miraculously, not only did it give way, it also lead to a dark, unoccupied work space. Bucky tucked himself behind the door. He commanded his breathing to remain even and silent as he followed Darcy with his trained eyes through the doors open crack._

_Completely unaware, she moved passed him and into her nearby office. This time Bucky took in a deep breath and held it briefly. If he were a stronger man where Darcy was concerned, he would try and say he took the time to contemplate whether he should take the chance to follow her and observe in silence. In reality he didn't even give it a second thought._

_Once she was clear of the hall he made his move. It wasn't hard with his skill set to find a way to stay hidden even in a hallway. From there he watched her._

_First she stepped in with her back to the door and removed her lightweight, long sleeved cardigan. Her outline became visible once freed from the unnecessary layer and he found himself taking in and savoring the memory of every place his hands had ever been. He lacked the will to stop himself from getting lost in her curves._

_When she turned to sit herself behind her desk, Bucky caught glimpse of what she wore around her neck._

_It was the small chunk of sea glass he had picked up from the shore for her. It now set in a pronged set on a long chain and rested past her breast._

_He stood there, internally lashing back at the anger that rose in him as soon the necklace allowed hope to warm in his chest._

_Maybe she would always be the pounding wave against his shore._

_...and the it all came crashing down again when she shifted her arm._

_The bruising had mostly begun to fade. Though the spot on her forearm, where the Winter Solider held on a little too tight was fading petruid yellow._

_This time Bucky did not put up a fight to the self-loathing. It over took him as quickly as he felt it. He was reminded why he hiding out on this hall._

_Bucky bowed his head and continued on with his retreat. He prayed tonight would be the night the Gods took mercy and let him get drunk._

Bucky shrugged "For what it's worth, I think I found my end point."

"Yeah?" Steve asks hopeful as he goes to adjust himself to sit higher on the couch. 

"Yeah. I mean, this is good, right? It's what's best?" Bucky says it as if he's trying to believe it himself.

If Steve were the type to roll his eyes, he would have. "You look pretty miserable for a guy who is claiming acceptance."

"I saw Darcy yesterday."

"Finally!" Steve let's out a loud relived sigh and brings his hands to his face and lay his palms flat across his cheeks, his finger covering his eyes before he gave his whole face a rub. "Wait?... What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be curled up and naked with her somewhere? Whispering apologies for how dumb you were and how if only you talked it out you could have saved her, yourself and your incredibly patient friend, Steve, a whole lot of grief?" Stupid Steve.

"I said I saw her. I didn't say I talked to her." It was too late and or early to have to spell anything out but Bucky thought it was the quickest way back to his bed to not sleep. "I saw her. She was in her office. I dunno. I just sorta watched her for a bit. I realized though, this was how it's supposed to be. I wanted her safe. Safe from me... him. If I have to stay away so that happens. Than so be it."

Steve stands and palms both shoes before silently making his way to the door.

"You leavin'?" 

Steven turns with a hand on the handle.  He swallows the first words before he attempts another round, looking up at the ceiling he begins.

"She's right, you know. You are a Drama Queen." Steve quirked a brow. "Let me guess? You stood pressed against a wall that offer enough cover but had a decent vantage point? Sat there pining like I did that Spring Meredith McDonald grew a chest and no longer let me hold her books on the way to school?"

"You got a point here, Punk?" Stupid Steve Rogers.

"My point being, if you were so okay with ending it, you're pulling some pretty calculated measure just to get a glimpse at the girl." Steve pause and when he begins again his tone is serious and sympathetic. "Buck? Do you love her?"

Bucky looks out into the unoccupied space of the apartment to avoid eye contact. "More than myself at the moment." He turns towards Steve. "That's why this is how it's gotta be." After he holds an unwavering stare with an unconvinced Steve, his shoulders soften. "Just drop it, al'right?"

"Yeah, al'right. If you want to pretend, we'll pretend. Goodnight, Buck." With that Steve left the apartment.

~*~

For all intent and purposes, Bucky really did try to accept it. It helped that he had been called out on a mission and then by the time he was back in the Tower, Darcy seemed to be avoiding him as much as he avoided her. Though, that was probably what ate at him the most. The lost of his friend.

When another two weeks past, Bucky actually had the audacity to be offended that Darcy seemed to have give up chase and accepted the parting for the better as he did. Sure, his original anger was justified but now this new form made him feel irrational. He would swing between bitter and lonely with each passing day. 

Then as if he had found a new wave to ride altogether, he was beginning to find himself wavering in his stance to stay away at all. He would bargain with himself and try and find loopholes to where he thought Darcy and him together might actually make sense.

Steve, when Steve was still allowing Bucky to openly wallow about it all, said Bucky was going through the stages of grief one feels when they have a great loss. "All on the road to actual acceptance." Steve had said but the idea of his mind actually accepting it one day made Bucky want to punch something. He would give anything to hear what Darcy had to say. What she would tell him to do. To have her tell him to stop prancing around with his Tiara firmly attached.

It was the end of the second two weeks that Bucky got the opportunity.

Bucky sat perched, topless, on a stool in Tony's lab. His back to the door. Tony was tinkering with his metal arm and Steve was in the room to make sure Bucky fully reported all of the kinks in the new hardware Tony had designed for the prosthetic.

As soon as the door slid open he felt her. He knew because it was the first time he felt this almost tangible buzz of energy involuntary lift his spirit in the past month. He continued looking straight ahead. Steve who had been hovering by Buck and facing the same direction, looked back at the door and then briefly places a reassuring palm on Bucky's shoulder.

"Lewis! Haven't seen you in these parts in quite some time! You here for Tequila Thursdays?" Tony, oblivious to everything greets the woman who Bucky feels hesitate once she surveys the room. 

"Sorry, as much as I would love for you to be a bad influence, while _also_ working on your dime, I am here on official business. I need you to sign these." Buck can see her from his peripheral as she reaches Tony's work bench and holds up a modest stack of paperwork. She is decidedly not looking Bucky's direction.

"Suit yourself. Set those over there. I'll get to them.... eventually." Tony motions to another work station with the screw driver he is holding. Bucky can tell Darcy is ready to go to war about the papers needing immediate attention but before she can, there is a voice at the door.

"Hey Darce. We still on for tomorrow night?" Bucky's head shoots to Darcy. She still faces away from the door, her eyes shut tight and her faces in a cringe. Bucky looks to the door and see a familiar large Blonde guy but he can't place him. He is leaning on the frame of the door as if he had just been walking by when he spotted Darcy. He looks back to Darcy who's face has noticeably softened, though her shoulders still tight. She plasters smile on her face as she goes to wave and nod towards the door before the guy retreats. When she goes to turn back to the room, she lets out a breath, Bucky is sure he was not meant to hear.

His voice was still in his throat when Steve broke the silence. "Darcy... Agent Jenner? You can't honestly be think about going out with him, right?" He keeps her in his peripheral as she tenses and readies to fight.

"No _Steve_? And why is that, _Steve_?! Please do tell me why I shouldn't, _Steve_?! The fact that it has been made perfectly clear I am so very single and so very unattached. _Steve_?! Or how about while I may seemly so casually expendable by some, Brad sees no huge "weigh of the World on his shoulders" responsibility to keep him from asking me out, _STEVE_!" Darcy now faces the both of them and Bucky keeps his eyes forward. "So when he asked, I thought to myself, 'Ya know what? Why not? No one one else seems to be interested.' So I said yes. And God Damn it! At least he looks at me when I walk into a room!" Darcy slams the pile she was holding onto the table in front of her and turns to make a haste exit.

The room falls silent once again. Steve nods to the two other men and clears his throat around an "Excuse me." Before following Darcy's lead.

"Huh, well look at that. Looks like Short Stack has been getting all up in the Star Spangled's banner... and here I thought if anyone was lucky enough to win her favor, it would have been you." Tony keeps his eye on the door long after Steve's exit.

"Excuse me?" Bucky jaw is set.

"I mean the way to two of look at each other like the other hung the moon." Tony makes himself busy picking out the next needed tool.

"Does it matter who she looks at and how? None of us are right for a girl like that. She deserves a normal life." The last thing Bucky wants is to be having this conversation.

"A girl like her? The girl who tazed Thor? Has girls nights with the Black Widow and is in an epic nerf battle with, arguably, the worlds best marksman?" That girl?" Tony looks up. "You don't honestly believe you're keeping from something she's not already tangled up in just by pretending your not in love with her, right?" Bucky looks right at Tony who gives him a "duh" face. "Come on, that is WAY too much woman for Rogers to handle. I don't care what the rumors with the USO girls suggest." Stark wags the butt of his implement towards Bucky. "I may be playing dumb for you comfort but that doesn't mean I'm stupid." Tony goes back to tinkering with Bucky's arm. "It's amazing how often I have to remind people I am an  _actual, honest to God_ , genius." Tony mumbles to no one in particular with his face in Bucky's arm.

"Still doesn't change nothin'."

"No. Suppose it doesn't. Though then again, not being with her is going to change anything either."

"She's not safe."

"No. She's not. Though, rumors around the artillery shack is..." Tony makes a exaggerated glance around the room to check for eavesdroppers, even though they are the only two in the room. "...she's already come toe to toe with your version of the Hulk. A couple of times in fact, and the fella has quite a soft spot for her"

Tony goes back to Bucky's arm. Not even 10 seconds go and Bucky feels the need to ask "Are we done here?"

"Juuuuuuust about-and done! Al'right, good as new, Solider boy. All amped up to go break some hearts and snap some necks." Tony smiles smugly and Bucky is too distracted to care about the supposed insult.

Bucky whirls the metal limb around a few times and follows the sound of voices being raised.

"Oh no? I am I wrong about that then, _Steve_?" Darcy is getting heated.

"Quit saying my name like that,  would ya?! And yes, you are."

"You know what. It doesn't matter." Darcy's voice goes softer. "It's been a month. If this were something he wanted to address and move on from, he would have. Not even Barnes is _that_ stubborn."

"No, he really, really is! That's my point!"

"Steve. Stop! I am asking you to stop. Do you know what it's like to be in love with a guy who gets up every day and still lives knowing that horrible, horrific things he had been forced to do is going to trickle back into his memory? That he will be forever haunted because of it?The tremendous amount of courage he puts fourth every day just to exist with all of that in his head? I am not naive enough to believe that a guy with that much strength isn't willing to be with me because he's scared. I am not something to be scared of." Her voice cracked at the last few words and she near whispers the last lines. "I am not going to give myself unfounded hope. I'm not going to wrap this all up and call it courage when it's just a break up." Darcy shrugs.

"You love him?" She loves him?

"Lot of good that does now, huh?" She shrugs.

" Darcy, you should tell him. You guys-"

" No." Darcy crosses her arms over her chest.

" Damn it you two deserve each other! You know that?! Ugh!" Steve throws his hands up in huge show of frustration and the rest of what he has to say is heard is a retreating trail as he leaves the space "Never in my life have.... Complete children!.... They can fight their own battle-...." and Steve is gone and Darcy makes exit in an opposite directions.

It seems Bucky wasn't the only one to catch the show as Natalia comes up next to him and says "You're an idiot" in Russian before carrying on her way.

That certainly seems to be the theme.


	6. A Walk To Clear Your Head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STOP! STOP! STOP! If are reading this because you subscribed (First off, THANK YOU, I posted TWO chapters today! Make sure to read Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These first!!! 
> 
> STOP! STOP! STOP!... Okay.. just making sure everyone really stopped to check.
> 
> Thank you everyone! I have been working on a Ducky soulmate piece and really wanted to get this out first. Then I saw a similar ideal for a Ducky soulmate fic this week and I got all kinds of manic energy to and unblocked myself to work on this.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for coming along for the ride!

The knock lands on her door at exactly 6 P.M. He knows she is expecting it but he is surprised at which the speed it opens. It's as if she was going to make an attempt to usher in her caller before anyone saw him in the hall. Only what she wasn't expecting was Bucky.

"Oh hey... I can't believe I am saying this but this isn't actually a good time, Barnes." She leans out the door to look for her dates arrival and Bucky catches a whiff of her gardina perfume.

"Umm... yeah. About that..." Bucky scratches the back of his head with his free hand. "He ain't coming, Doll." He braces himself for her reaction.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Her arms cross over her chest and each word comes out like a firm pressed finger to the chest.

"Nothin', really. Coupl'a old fashioned Gentleman sit him down and ask him exactly what his intention are and the guy panics?" Bucky puts his palms out in earnest. Then slides into a considerablly more michevious look. "Tsk, tsk Darcy. Thought I taught you better than to go picking these dishonorable fellows." His jaw goes up in a smirk but stops before it gets too wide when he realizes she is not finding any humor in it.

"You had no right. That is a complete invasion." Bucky was kinda of scared of calm, articulate Darcy.

"You are absolutely right and I couldn't agree with you more... that is why I let Steve do all the talkin'. Every bit of it. You can take it up with him."

"And you said nothing? Just stood there?" Her eyebrow raised.

"Scouts honor, Darling." He holds up a hang signal he would think Steve's alter-ego would use to convey truth, honor and something righteous.

"Did you happen to be in your tactical gear while you were wordlessly looming?"

He knows he's been made. The smile that comes to him is equal parts nerves and knowing his girl really knows him. She again, doesn't see any of it humorous.

"Goodnight, Barnes." She goes to shut the door  and he throws his arm up to stop it.

"Look, hear me out. Darcy, please. I'm begging you." He hopes his face wears a little of the desperation he feels. 

"What?" She certainly isn't going to make this easy.

"Not here. Come out with me. I wanna show you somethin'." 

This time both eyebrows raise.

"Come on. I borrowed Steve's bike and I even bought you your own leather jack-" She snatches the jacket he holds in his hand before he can even finish. She's got it up to her cheek when he continues. "It's vintage. I know how you like vintage."

She scowls and he wonders if he is going to stop with the wisecracks knowing none of them are landing. Probably not.

"Yeah. Al'right but I gotta say after what you just pulled with Brad, I am only agreeing to go because I am afraid you will take back this beautiful piece of clothing if I don't." She slips it on and sighs contentedly. " ahh... How do I look?" She ask as she goes about removing her hair from the colar and Bucky isn't sure if it was rhetorical.

"Like I am glad I knew you've always wanted one. Come on." He nods to the hall and she follows after she grabs a few things to stuff in her pockets.

The ride down to the garage is silent but the energy is deafening. He hasn't been this close to her in over a month and he feels himself wanting to plead with JARVIS to stop the whole car so he can kiss her breathless up against a wall. He is lost in those very thought when the chime sounds and they have arrived at their destination. 

He pyically clears his throat to mentally clear hus head. He chances a hand on her lower back to usher her out of the lift.

Steve's bike sets there all clean, shiny and begging for a ride. He hands her a helmet and gets on the bike himself. He steadies it and extends a hand for her to reach out and join him. Once she is on it is obvious that she's trying to figure out the most appropriate way to hold on. She is soft and tenative in her touch and if Bucky, maybe, exelerates into the first turn with a little more force than needed... well then, he kinda allows her to feel a little more comfortable with getting a safer grip. If he should get her pressed into his back more for it, then it is merely a reward for a good deed.

They weave through the traffic and cross the bridge to reach Brooklyn. He parks it in a non-discript spot on the street and dismounts before helping her do the same.

"Where are we going?" She asks. 

"Everywhere." He shrugs into it and begins to walk with Darcy trailing a step behind.

And they did go everywhere. Everwhere Bucky could remember being back before the War. So much had begun to piece itself together for him. He filled Darcy in on every bit of intresting information. He showed her where some of the buildings he used to live once stood. He showed her where they would play stickball and untap fire hydrants in the summer. Not to mention nearly every spot he ever saved Steve's sorry behind. Darcy took it all in. She remained mostly quiet and it scared the hell out of Bucky. Though her face wore a warm regard at everything he showed her. When he laughed, she laughed. When parts were a little too rough to recall, she would lay a hand on his arm to steady him.

By the time it wound up coming to an end, the sun had long set and he was guiding her through a small alleyway. He stopped beneath a retracted fire escape ladder and turned to her. 

"Hold right here. I got one more place I wanna show you." He begins to reach for the end of the ladder when she places a flat palm on his forearm.

"Bucky..."

"No,  Darcy. I know what you're going to say and-"

"No, I really don't think you do."

"I do. You're gonna say this has been fun and all but considering I just had you follow me around Brooklyn for hours and not once talked about the fact we-I left an entire month go by without making things right. You're just about ready to call it a night...but let me show this one last time. I promise I-"

"Yeah, you really don't. I was going to say 'allow me.'"

"Allow you what?"

Darcy points her finger at the ladder above Bucky's head. She then goes about placing a hand on either of his arms and guiding him into her desired postion. She then turns and grabs an old metal trash can lid of a nearby can and hands it to Bucky.

"Here hold this riiiiiiiight here. There. Perfect." She once again goes about adjusting Bucky into postion before take a few large step down the alley and turning to face him. "Ready. Just hold that lid tight."

Darcy took off towards Bucky's direction. Though where he thought she was coming right at him, she actually ran up the wall parallel to him and kicked off towards the lid he had been holding. Her feet met it and Bucky countered the force with a slight insinctual lift. Darcy used it to throw her herself up and towards the end of the ladder. She paused once her hands gripped the bottom rung. With a hearty grunt she used her upper body to pull her top half above her hands and the ladder began to slide towards the ground. Darcy gracefully slid down for the ride. She drops the remaining gap and her feet connect to the concrete.

"Still think you know what I was gonna say?" A proud, trumphain glow to her up turned smirk.

"I, uh." 

"Here. Put your hand out and boost me back up there." Darcy steps into his offered palm and back up the ladder. She continues on to the next platform.

"You gonna tell me what the hell that just was, Lewis?" He says as he reaches up to pull himself up behind her. When he begins the climb they make eye contact and Darcy just shrugs.

"A month is a long time to fill the space buring off all the physical energy you were use to buring other ways." She wags her eyebrows. "Maybe I finally sought Natasha for that training."

"Bullshit. And forgive me for saying this, I've seen you in action and there is no way even Natalia had you leaping up buildings in a month." 

She stops mid-climb and turns back offended briefly then nods in agreement.

"How long?" It's all he ask but they both know the timing says so much more.

"I think about right after I decided I wanted to see you naked as often as I could. Plus you were a complete pushover. Maybe my lack of athletic prowess was a direct reflection on my teacher."

With that Bucky bypasses the steps leading up to the final platform on which Darcy was standing and waiting. Instead he swung himself out, up and over from railing to railing, landing directly in front of Darcy, filling the remaining small space. He's looking down at her from past his nose. She looks up and swallows hards. He's waiting.

"Look, I just didn't want you to think it was because I needed protection from you. Stamina to keep up, maybe, but never protection." Her head dips and the weight of the of everything behind her training settles in the small space between them.

A minute ticks by in the silence. Darcy doesn't look up from her feet but she sorta leans forward enough to where Bucky is wondering if she wants to lay her head on his chest. He brings up a hand to rest it on her arm but thinks better of it and pulls back.

"We're almost there. After you my ninja master." Bucky manages to makes a sweeping gesture in the tight space. She rolls her eyes dramaticly as she hip checks him to continue up and over ledge of the buildings roof. Bucky is right on her tail.

The soft glow of the party bulbs illuminate the roof. A half dozen strands strung all across the length of the roof. All set up to frame the space where a blanket is laid out and a handful of plush pillows beckon to be lounged on. Tall, thick pillar candles clustered and lit near one of the corners of the sitting area. Even Bucky, who instructed where everthing should go is taken back with just how whimsically romantic it all looks. He's totally still "got it" he thinks to himself.

A sentiment eckoed when he sees Darcy's face take it all in. "How did you?..." She trails off, looking at the pillows once more.

"I had some help." 

She looks over everything one more time and then a realization comes to her. 

"Wait. You had roof access? Wanna tell me why I had to shimmy my way up a Fire Escape?"

"Honestly?" Darcy waits for him to continue. "You put on that leather jacket for the ride and I kinda hoped you would have needed a little more help boosting up to the ladder." Bucky is only half ashamed of his admission.

"Perv!" Darcy quickly raisies a hand to hit his arm. She friegs shock and then says " How'd that work out for you, huh?" She laughs when his face fall and he feels foolish for being unaware she could handle herself.

Then again, assuming she was any level of helpless is what got them to his grand gesture in the middle of Brooklyn in the first place.

"So where are we?" She turns to fully face him and he mirrors the stance.

"All little boxing gym Steve and I like to escape to."

"You guys come here now. You telling me this place has been up since before the war?!"

He smiles and puts his hands in his pockets. "No." He softly chuckles. "This is the first place I told anyone I was in I love with you." Her face shoots to his and his hands quickly from his pockets and bracing themselves on either of Darcy forearms. Holding her in place, holding himself in place.

She doesn't move but a slight summer breeze moves a strand of hair in her face. Bucky sweeps his metal hand across her cheek and moves it behind her ear. She turns and purrs into the touch. Her eyes close and Bucky didn't know he could ever see something so beautiful and tender involving the limb that was made for killing.

"It was Steve, by the way."

"Huh?" Her eyes open and she can't place what he is saying.

"Who I told.... That I love you.... Steve was the person I told." Now was not the time to start losing his nerve and go into a ramble.

"Well now I guess you just told me too." She says and goes to cup his face.

"Yeah. Guess I did. Come on." He takes her by the hand and leads her to the blanket. "Sit with me. Don't make my whole spiel go to waste."

"A spiel, huh? I love a good spiel." They sit side by side but flushed against each other. For Darcy on a good day, this isn't too informal of a touch by for Bucky it is a beacon of hope.

"I wanted to show you who I was. Bucky the kid from Brooklyn who never met a pretty dame, that wasn't worth a second look. That guy is still in me somewhere, Darce. He ain't the only one either. Ya know? There's another one in there. The one they made me into and-" Darcy goes to interject. "Let me finish, al'right. I know you're going to say you don't care and he doesn't scare you and I believe you. You're one of the bravest people I've ever met. That's saying something when you take the likes of Carter into consideration."

"Not Steve?" Darcy still manages to interrupt. 

"Steve's foolish. There's a difference."  He makes a pointed face at her. "Anyways, what I am saying is, you may not be afraid of him but I am. You're everything, Doll. If something should happen to you?" She makes a face at him that indicates what he's saying is an emotional punch. "With that said... I think he's got a thing for you." He softens. 

"Yeah?" She says behind a smile.

"Yeah. I think we all do. Buck, the other guy... and me. Barnes. The guy who just wants to learn who he is now to be here with you." Dracy presses into his side and Bucky takes it as a cue to lift his arm an ddrape it around her to let her get closer. "But Darce?"

"Barnes?"

"I need you though. I need to be able to talk about it. What I'm afraid of. What concerns me. I need you to let me express it and not try and to handle it for me because you think I can't."

She looks up at him apologeticly guilty. "That's why you think I tried to keep things from you?" She is searching his face. "Yes, I am guilty of trying to protect you..."

"Protect _me_?!"

"Yeah _YOU!_ I knew you could handle it. You getting up everyday and just living proves you can handle anything. That doesn't mean I didn't want to help aliviate the things you don't have to worry about when I could for the both of us. You got enough guilt for three lifetime's, Barnes. I wanted to help with some of the burden by not adding anymore. Plus, you said yourself. The Asset kinda has a thing for me." She playfully digs an elbow into his side."Plus, plus... I knew going in it was only a matter of time until I came face to face with him. It wasn't exactly a shock." He is again reminded just how brave she is when she shifts to sit sideways across his lap. "I get what you're saying and I am not apologizing for worrying about your wellbeing because that is what you do for someone you love, but I do promise, from here on out, everything is an open book. Scouts honor." She mocks his earlier hand gesture and he smiles leaning into her neck and pulling her close. 

"You just said you love me." He says against her skin.

"Yeah well don't let it go to your head." He moves to tickle her and she gives up embrassingly fast. Leaning into him with with her cheek pressed to the side of his head. She cradles the other side in her hand. "I do love you, Barnes. All of you." She pulls back look into his eyes. Her hand now on his cheek as she leans in to kiss him. 

He pads a spot in the pillows with one arm and shifts to lay her down gently on them. He's over her and making up for lost time with soft kisses that run deep with promise.

"Finally!" A muffled shout comes from behind the door leading into the building. Darcy and Bucky pull apart at the sound. Bucky looks back at Darcy.

"See. Foolish. Now I'm going to have to kill him." Bucky goes to push off.

"Mmm. Later. More kissing!" Darcy pulls on his shirt to bring him back. And kiss her, he does.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mercyraine planted a little nugget so I thought I would attach a small little epilogue.
> 
> Also, while I am here. Thanks to tuneskootch, though I didn't exactly do the suggestion from Chapter, it allowed me to think up the dream scene and draw it out. Thanks!

"I'm happy for you, Buck. I really am. You figured out how to have an actual life far better than than the rest of us, that's for sure." Steve cheers his coffee cup up in the air as Bucky lowers his paper to raise a brow.

The pair was having their standing bi-weekly breakfast at their usual spot. The occasion usually called for less sappy sentiment.

"I told you, Punk. Find a good woman and it all fits into place." Bucky gave a smug smile around his slice of toast.

"Falls into place, huh? You're full of shit. I've watched you and Darcy almost kill each other to get where you're at."

Bucky gives a laugh. 

"Ahh yes, but what a beautiful way to go!" Bucky sighs dramatically and takes a sip of his own coffee. "And I didn't say it comes easy. I just said it happens. But you gotta start somewhere, like let's say Sharon. She seems right up your alley." Steve pins him with a "don't even" glare and Bucky pushes on. "Ah come on, you think I don't see it? I know she's Peggy's niece and that makes things. ... weird? But don't think for a second, it has gone unnoticed how look like 'poor little Stevie from Brooklyn' every time she doesn't notice you outside of official business. You thought I was bad with a month break from Darcy. I've been biting my tongue on this for MONTHS now. It's starting to get embarrassing." Steve tries his best to pretend he has no idea what his dinning partner is referring to. "Do us both a favor and call the girl, will ya?"

Steve sighs.

"Buck, Sharon and I-" Whatever Steve is going to say is cut of by the woman in question approaching the table.

"You and I, what?" She smiles at the men and they stand.  She leans into Bucks greeting and he kisses her cheek. "Sorry I'm late." She says nodding to a slack-jawed Steve.

"Nonsense." Bucky says and he and Sharon sit with a _still_  slacked-jaw Steven trailing after.

"Where's Darcy?" She notices the settings on the table then looks the direction of the restrooms.

"Darcy doesn't come to our breakf-" Steve begins and Bucky cuts him off by making a show of reaching for his phone. 

"Oh, speak of the Devil. She just texted. I'm sorry guys. Darcy just got a realtor to show us that place in Brooklyn we've been eyeing. You guys don't mind if I?..." Bucky trails off while pointing a thumb over his shoulder to the door.

"No, of course not. That's really great, James." Sharon smiles warmly. Bucky stands and then bends to kiss her on her cheeks once more.

Bucky turns to Steve and boy, if looks could kill. Steve stands.

"You got this, Punk? Right?" Bucky motions to the plates but they both know he isn't referring to the check.

Bucky pulls Steve in for a bro hug and when he is close enough to Steve's ear he says : "Finally."

Bucky walks out chuckling as he hears Steve begin to fumble over his words.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally meant to be a longer chapter with Sunday night included. I am afraid of rushing it and not getting my Bucky narrative how I imagine him to be. So the next part is essentially written, I just want to pace myself and maybe get some feed back on how Bucky sounds to all of you. I appreciate it. Thanks for reading!!
> 
> Not related but I just recently joined Tumblr (yes, just recently.) I have started follow pen names I recognize. I have been enjoying letting it kind of help create a voice. I pretty much just like all things Darcy Lewis.


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